Tibor Matijas is a self-taught surrealist painter from Prijedor, Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), now based in New York City. His paintings dwell in the liminal space between dream and waking life, where landscapes transform into metaphors and time takes on a poetic dimension. Working primarily in acrylic, Matijas renders worlds in which clouds carry roots, light bends through glass, and nature quietly reclaims the forgotten.
Before dedicating himself fully to painting, Matijas spent years traveling the world while working aboard cruise ships, an experience that profoundly shaped his imagination. The rhythm of motion, the vastness of the horizon, and the solitude of the sea remain visible in his work, infusing each canvas with a quiet sense of transience. These years of travel became a meditation on impermanence, inspiring a practice that seeks beauty in the passage of time.
His creative process is guided by instinct and emotion. Matijas paints only when feeling and purpose align, embracing spontaneity as part of his philosophy that art must come from an authentic and soulful place. The result is a body of work that feels at once deeply personal and universal, a reflection of the balance he continually searches for between chaos and stillness, reality and reverie.
Currently Exhibiting in: Brooklyn, NY
Instagram: @tibart1
Featured Artwork at Bushwick Gallery
Title: Eternal Appointment
Year of Creation: 2025
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 40 × 30 in
Edition Type: Unique, 1 of 1
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Price: $6,500
Description
Eternal Appointment marks the beginning of a new series in which Matijas explores the intertwined themes of time, dreams, and purpose. The work takes its title from a thought that has lingered with the artist: “If you do not have a date for your dream, it can easily turn into a nightmare.” This reflection becomes the foundation for a painting that is both allegorical and intimate.
Rendered in acrylic with quiet precision, the composition transforms the abstract concept of time into a landscape of contemplation. The image invites viewers to consider the fragile boundary between ambition and waiting, between the pursuit of dreams and the fear of their disappearance. In Matijas’s universe, time is not linear but emotional—measured not by clocks but by the accumulation of longing, memory, and hope.
The painting extends his surrealist language, balancing the detailed realism of form with a dreamlike suspension of logic. It is a reminder that imagination can be both sanctuary and mirror, that within the dreamlike we often find the truest reflection of ourselves.
Exhibition Information
Exhibition Title: Vivid Force: The Power of Bold Color
Curated by: Michael O’Malley
Theme: Vivid Force unites artists who channel color and imagination as forces of expression and introspection. Each work in the exhibition transforms intensity into meditation, revealing how boldness can exist within quiet reflection.
Exhibition Dates: November 13 – November 20, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, November 13 / 6 PM – 8 PM
Private Showings and Events: Invite-only throughout the week