Michael Staniak's work is a portal to a post-digital world inhabited by both, the physical and the virtual. Through surfaces with hypnotic textures, he reflects the effects of living in a digitalized world. His paintings act as trompe l'oeil that mystify the senses, exploring a new aesthetic in painting influenced by the digital technologies and the effects of the Internet. Staniak's work offers completely different experiences when viewed on a screen or in person; when viewed in person they appear completely flat as if they would be screens or digital prints, while when viewed through a computer or mobile, their texture and physical materiality are emphasized.
Michael Staniak was born in Melbourne in 1982, where he lives and works. He earned a BFA and an MFA from the Victorian College of Modern Arts as well as a BA in Digital Media Communications from Middle Tennessee State University.