The book is a record of anecdotal situations that occurred along the artist's path, describing
Kantor's preparations with actors for his productions, his meetings with various people. Miklaszewski describes, among other things, his own initial meeting with the artist, during which he interviewed Kantor for "Magazyn Kulturalny" / "Cultural Magazine." The author also writes about the struggles that were involved in producing "Szatnia" / "Cloakroom," his film about the artist, as well as about Kantor's favorite swear words and many and varied moods.
Readers see Kantor laughing, or even more so, Kantor rolling on the floor with laughter, or Kantor planning practical jokes and setting "traps" for those he worked with. This is the first ever glimpse of its kind of Master Thaddeus, one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.
Miklaszewski also explores Kantor's stage image - that of a grumpy artist, standing guard over his stage works like an absolute arranger of happenings, additionally wrapped in a black coat that deepened this image through more than its color. Struggle is depicted as permeating both the stage works and paintings of Kantor. This struggle was for everything and against everything, it was limitless, uncompromising, constantly seeming to break out of the framework of his art, invading his private life. Kantor would explode without warning, but his outbursts were purposeful and well thought out. The humor of these situations is truly... based in life. Perhaps this is why his art remains so effective to this day. Perhaps also, it is the perspective of time that makes his art less terrifying now and more humorous, as Miklaszewski's book certainly is. Ironically titled Kantor Behind the Scenes, the volume provides readers with a look into a true 'theatrum mundi.'
Source: czytelnia.onet.pl
Krzysztof Miklaszewski
Kantor Behind the Scenes / Kantor od kuchni
Wydawnictwo Książkowe "Twój Styl", Warszawa 2003
167 x 220, 299 pages, hardcover
ISBN 83-7163-229-0