Better Zen Than Never
By Martin Wojnowski
Published Issue 148, April 2026
Better Zen Than Never is an acrylic painting on canvas. According to Buddhist principles, the “monkey mind” is a term that refers to being unsettled, restless, or confused. The monkey mind represents our busy thoughts which seem to have no end to them. Many people think they are meditating but are actually just thinking about not thinking. It’s never too late to seek inner peace, start practicing mindfulness, or bring calmness into your life.
Martin began his artistic journey in the early 1990s creating watercolour illustrations of classical interiors for leading London designers. What began as precise architectural renderings gradually evolved. Into otherwise factual presentations, he started introducing subtle disruptions: an unexpected object in a wardrobe, an ambiguous figure in a doorway, a detail that shifted the narrative. These quiet interventions transformed technical illustrations into works with psychological depth.
Over time, this instinct developed into a distinctive visual language. While his work draws from multiple traditions, elements of Urban Realism underpin his approach to composition, light, texture and spatial tension. Stark interiors, transitional spaces, hotel rooms, corridors or staged domestic settings often serve as the backdrop. They appear calm, controlled, even elegant and yet something feels withheld. The emotional climate is frequently one of stillness, distance or quiet unease.
Martin’s paintings function as suspended moments – scenes poised on the brink of revelation but refusing resolution. He constructs visual narratives using symbols, colour relationships and spatial dynamics, allowing meaning to emerge through ambiguity. Viewers are invited to interpret rather than consume; the story is never fixed, only suggested. Beauty is present, but so is tension. The familiar becomes quietly theatrical.
Travel plays an important role in his process. Exposure to new cultures, climates and architectural languages continuously reshapes his palette and perspective. Movement sharpens observation. Observation deepens narrative.
Martin embraces a global identity shaped by migration, dialogue and diversity. Since leaving London in 2005 he’s been based in Dubai. Martin produces approximately thirty works annually. His paintings are collected internationally, with strong followings in Europe, the United States and growing interest in Asia.
Thoughtful, observant and dryly humorous, Martin approaches art as both inquiry and provocation – an invitation to look longer, and to question what appears certain.
See more of his work on his Website and on Instagram.
Check out Martin’s February Index, If Only We Talked More, in case you missed it, and keep your eyes peeled from more work by this talented artist.