Zieliński's paintings hide ominous lips with seeping drops of venom, as it is in the case of Czyhanie pocałunku (Lurking Kiss, 1969). There are perilous lips, for instance in Prawo puszczy (The Law of the Jungle, 1975), in which they were equipped with sharp fangs. There also are insincere lips (Witajcie kochani [Welcome Dear], 1977), with venomous serpents squeezing through the teeth. Some of them are hopeless, like for example Jeden kierunek (One Direction, 1977), in which they were labeled with a “no entry” sign.
Zieliński ironically brings up lips as the token of the proclaimed truth, or even the symbol of logos, at the same time demonstrating – by means of the added elements – that those values have been compromised in the contemporary world. Lips no longer tell the truth, but point to the falsity of language, or remind about the existence of censorship. In such case, they are closed or even clenched, just like in the piece S.O.S. - Ratujcie nasze dusze (S.O.S – Save Our Souls, 1977), or otherwise “laced up,” like in the painting XXX (1974). In S.O.S., lips are no longer able to speak, their silent message, formulated in Morse alphabet, expresses a mute, and at the end of the day powerless protest. It takes place in a reality in which, on one hand, many people have been deprived of their voice, and on the other, in which words uttered have little significance.
Zeiliński's works with the mouth motif are by no means schematic. In spite of the repeating symbols and consistent colours, the composition varies with each piece. The main thing that changes is the shape of lips. One time, they are clenched, another time – wide open, with the tongue sticking out or showing teeth. They are rarely placed in the centre of the frame, but usually slightly shifted from the middle of the painting. Sometimes, they spread out, become almost amorphous, and sometimes they are precise and symmetrically outlined.