Xawery Dunikowski, "Amerykanka II" / "American Female II”, 1927, polychrome wood, owned by the National Museum in Warsaw, photo by Piotr Ligier
"Niepokorny" ("Defiant") is the title of the exhibition dedicated to the eminent Polish sculptor Xawery Dunikowski, showcasing his most notable and famous works against the backdrop of the narrative of major creative stages in the artist's life. The exhibition celebrates 30 years of activity on the part of the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko
Exhibition curator Joanna Torchała refers to the words of a critical member of Młoda Polska (Young Poland) - Eligiusz Niewiadomski - to describe Dunikowski's style:
Without a word of encouragement, nor a single applause and hunted by stupidly hostile glances given from the crowd, Dunikowski, with genuinely contempt praise and reprimand lurking over him, swims against and fights the current, making his own true art in spite of the feelings and attitudes of the social environment surrounding him.
Dunikowski was certainly a rebellious and defiant artist. In every stage of his extensive creative life, he surprised and shocked the audience. He was mentally and psychologically by far ahead of the era in which he worked. His works were known as 'Plaster Monsters' while the creator himself was separated from the common worship and faith pursued by fellow Poles. During the period of Young Poland, he demonstrated a lot of symbolic sculptural groups, such as "Tchnienie" / "A Breath of Air", "Jarzmo" / "Yoke", "Macierzyństwo" / "Motherhood" and "Fatum" / "Fate" - which were all regarded upon as "twisted and bizarre" epithets.
On the contrary, "Kobiety brzemienne" / "Pregnant women" became a cause of scandal, not so much because of the form, but rather the theme as in those days the depiction of a pregnant woman was regarded as immoral. In addition, the artist set them directly on the floor without the use of commonly associated sculpture pedestals.
The Parisian period (between 1914-1921) incited the next scandal, resulting from the presentation of the work named "Autoportret. Idę ku słońcu" / "Self-portrait. I am going towards the sun", which depicted the artist dressed as Adam, walking proudly with conviction about his unique genius. In addition, all work bore the hallmarks of the impact of the fashionably French Cubist style - completely incomprehensible on Polish soil. During the interwar period, Dunikowski proposed a monument called "Wdzięczności Ameryce" / "Gratitude to America", in an innovative shape of fountains, which aroused indignation to such a degree that it was decided to remove it. The press at the time wrote headlines, 'crying out to heaven for vengeance' and recognised the work as 'abortive'.
Many of the sculptures Dunikowski had created in this time were rejected. Even when he managed to get a lucrative contract, as in the case with the "Głowy Wawelskie" / "Heads of Wawel", despite the many years spent on assumptions regarding the implementation of this monument, ultimately the decision was made not to put these heads in the allocated place.
After the war, the artist gave way to the ideas of socialist realism. This made no difference however. His demonic bust of Lenin aroused 'consternation', while the artist’s sculptural creation of Joseph Stalin represented 'a dwarf with a big paw', and after it’s unveiling, 'mute astonishment ensued' among spectators. Dunikowski had not been lucky with any type of ideology nor power. He simply wished to pursue only his own, true unfettered visions.
Xawery Dunikowski's Exhibition at the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko is the first, (outside the Królikarnia presentation) which shows the artist's full creative capacity and oeuvre. Exhibited works come from the collections of the Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture in Warsaw. Among the many masterpieces displayed, the most important compositions of the artist's early period will be present including: "Fatum", "Tchnienie", and "Macierzyństwo". Also being presented are three statues from the famous "Kobiety brzemienne" series as well as the portraits and images from the artists thesis works while studying at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts such as - "Portret Henryka Szczyglińskiego" / "A Portrait of Henryk Szczygliński" from 1898.
Furthermore, he created decorative, art deco-style female portraits during the Parisian period, which Dunikowski sculpted from 1914 up until the 1950s and 1960s including the portraits of Hanna Rudzka-Cybisowa, Włodziemierz Sokorski and Alina Ślesińska. The famous series "Głowy Wawelskie", although rarely exhibited, are the closest to sculpture portrait art. Visitors to the exhibition can admire 24 sculptures from this series; from 1925 to 1929 and the 1950s, revealing an entire wealth of different human types, ranging from historical figures such as: King Sigismund III Vasa, Stefan Batory, Frederic Chopin, up to contemporary portraits of the artist’s friends and students. An important addition to the Wawel series is "Autoportret" / "Self-Portrait".
Apart from intimate art, Dunikowski was passionate about monumental statues. At the exhibition one can see these projects. In the artist's Paris studio, "Grobowiec Bolesława Śmiałego" / "The Tomb of Bolesław the Bold", was created in 1917; the first of Dunikowski's works which was considered a masterpiece. At the exhibition held in Orońsko, a plaster mold of this sculpture is displayed. During the 20 year inter-war period, the artist completed only two monuments: "Wdzięczności Ameryce" / "Gratitude to America" in Warsaw in 1921, followed by the 1936 Józef Dietla monument in Kraków. The design of the latter is presented on a 1:1 scale at the exhibition.
Memorial statues dominated Dunikowski's postwar art. As early as in 1946, did the artist begin work on his monument called "Czyn Powstańczy" / "The Uprising Act" on top of the Saint Anna Mountain. In pursuing this monument, he also began working on a statue called the "Wyzwolenie Ziemi Warmińsko-Mazurskiej" / "Liberation of the Warmia and Masuria Lands" for the city of Olsztyn. A fragment of this work - "Głowa żołnierza radzieckiego" / "The Head of the Soviet soldier" is an example of the artist's attitude towards socialist realism. This postwar theme is also present in the sculptures: "Popiersie W.I. Lenina" / "The bust of Lenin" (1949) and "Robotnik" / "Worker" (1946).
The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated album (in both Polish and English versions) with text written by curator Joanna Torchała, a biographical chronology, as well as a catalogue of the artist's works.
"Defiant" makes up a substantial element of anniversary celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko. the show will then be displayed at the Królikarnia Gallery in Warsaw, the National Museum in Wrocław as well as the National Museum in Szczecin.
The exhibition is under the patronage of Culture.pl.
Opening: 9 July 2011 at 12:00.
The exhibition is open until the 19th of September 2011.
Centre of Polish Sculpture
Topolowa Street 1, 26-505 Orońsko
tel. (+48 48) 618 40 27, 618 45 16
fax. (+48 48) 48 618 44 70
www.rzezba-oronsko.pl
Source: press release
Photos below from left to right numbered 1-5.
1 - Xawery Dunikowski, "A Breath of Air", 1903-1917, sheet copper, owned by the National Museum in Warsaw
2 - Xawery Dunikowski, "Motherhood", before 1908, wood with gold, property owned by the National Museum in Warsaw
3- Xawery Dunikowski's "Pregnant Women IV and V", owned by the National Museum in Warsaw
4 - Xawery Dunikowski, "Bolshevik's Head", 1917-1920, patinated concrete, owned by the National Museum in Warsaw
5 - Xawery Dunikowski, a project of the monument, "Sickle and Hammer", approx. 1953, plaster, 19.5 x 20 x 20cm, owned by the National Museum in Warsaw