POST SCRIPTUM English__ Feb 2021

ISSN 2633-1292 

POST 

INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE 

OF LITERATURE &THE ARTS 

SCRIPTUM 

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PROSE POETRY VISUAL ARTS ARTICLES INTERVIEWS 

OUR SPECIAL GUEST: 

IRENE SHERI 

VISHNEVSKAYA 

FEBRUARY 2021 

DAMIANO ERRICO 

LIKE THE OLD MASTERS 

SEBASTIAN MOŃ 

MELANCHOLIC INDUSTRIALISM 

WHAT IS ORAPISM? 

KRZYSZTOF KONOPKA 

LOUI JOVER 

OLD BOOKS, INK AND GUASH 

A L I C J A 

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 

C R I M E 

MONIKA CICHOSZEWSKA 

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

POST SCRIPTUM 

1

IN THIS ISSUE: 

PROSE: 

36. Drunk Bitch – Short story – Jarosław Prusiński 

VISUAL ARTS: 

4. ORAPISM: A new style in Art – Krzysztof Konopka – Kararzyna Brus-Sawczuk 

16. Loui Jover – Ink, guash and old books – Renata Cygan 

26. Irene Sheri Vishnevskaya – Special guest – Renata Cygan 

42. Italian photographer Damiano Errico – Like great masters – Renata Cygan 

54. Dariusz Klimczak – Photography – Renata Cygan 

66. Alicja Stańska – On The Other Side Of Crime – Katarzyna Brus-Sawczuk 

82. Monika Cichoszewska – Photography – Jarosław Prusiński 

92. Sebastian Mon – Melancholic Industrialism – Renata Cygan 

110. Krzysztof Łozowski – What is ‘Łozowsko Wielkie’? 

POETRY: 

14. Anna Maria Mickiewicz 

24. Metin Cengiz 

38. Renata Cygan 

52. Marek Porąbka 

53. Ryszard Grajek 

64. Juliusz Wątroba 

74. Arco Van Ieperen 

76. Izolda Kiec – About Ginczanka 

88. Agnieszka Herman – Recomended 

90. Irina Kovalyova 

100. Juliusz Erazm Bolek 

102. Poetry Festival in India 

ENJOY ! 

GET IN TOUCH 

We welcome and value your comments and 

opinions on the magazine. Feel free to email us: 

postscriptum.mag@gmail.com 

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The cover: Irene Sheri Vishnevskaya 

EDITORS: Renata Cygan – Editor-in-Chief, Jarosław Prusiński, Joanna Nordyńska, Katarzyna Brus-Sawczuk, 

Izolda Kiec, Juliusz Wątroba, Ewelina Kwiatkowska-Tabaczynska, Robert Knapik, Katarzyna Saniewska 

TRANSLATORS: Olga Sawczuk, Katarzyna Landen, Renata Cygan 

CONSULTING EDITORS: 

Andrea Kyriakou, Liz Drapper, Monika Cygan, Ania Cygan, Benjamin Becula.

Dear Readers, 

Unfortunately, we are still pandemically confused and frustrated, 

we glide through life without mindfulness or deliberation. Living in 

a fast--paced world, focused on trivial things, and we too often forget 

about our soul. In a world where pop culture (and often subculture) has 

dominated higher culture. The pandemic made us see this shallowness 

and insignificance of the rat race. We stand stunned because someone 

has taken away the treadmill on which we were racing, trotting in place. 

In this strange world, it is Art that allows us to survive. A good film, 

or book, an extraordinary painting, or poem. How badly we need it now! 

However, here we have another issue of English version of Post Scriptum 

to give you an artistic break during these difficult times. I am sure you 

will find a host of inspiring art gems in here. Trying to maintain a general 

artistic character, we present you diverse material, in line with the 

principle of “something good for everyone”. 

What is Orapism? How many photographic techniques are there to 

taking an artistic photo? What is Łozowsko Wielkie? Why a square? 

And how can you give a second life to damaged books? We answer 

these questions and more in the following pages. Our special guest in 

this issue is the great Russian painter – Irene Sheri Vishnevskaya. Her 

p a i nti n gs are excepti o n al , an d h er l i fe p roves th at any th i n g i s p o s s i b l e. 

I am also fascinated by a very interesting article by prof Izolda Kiec about 

the legend of the Warsaw Bohemia of the interwar period – the Polish/ 

Jewish poet Zuzanna Ginczanka. 

And as always – the articles are interspersed with lots of original poetry. 

We wish you a wonderful artistic journey through our magazine. 

Renata Cygan 

Editor-in-Chief 

PS. If any of you would like to support us in any way: send interesting 

materials, tell us about an artistic event or an artist, cooperate on 

a non-regular or permanent basis – please contact us. You can also 

support us financially by paying a small amount to our account: 

SORT CODE: 309626 ACC Number: 57418160 

IBAN: GB82 LOYD 3096 2657 4181 60 


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4 

4 POST SCRIPTUM 

KRZYSZTOF KONOPKA

ORAPISM 

5 

POST SCRIPTUM 5


WHAT IS ORAPIZM? 


“Orapism – an art style 

characterized by its expressive 

message with the use of sharp 

lines and energizing colours. 

During the last Biennale festival, 

the artist was recognized as 

the precursor of a new form of 

Abstract Art – ORA PISMO, now 

a script, a sketch, a drawing, a 

ritual, which, according to the 

critics, develops the Abstract Art 

and gives foundations for a new 

style of artistic interpretation. 

The artistic creation is immediate 

and thus shows the moment of 

wild awakening of the artist” 

Margherita Blonska-Ciardi

Pillory 

Action-reaction, 

author-recipient, 

subliminal message, 

mirror image. 


7

swirl 


In front of me: a man with attentive eyes, in his prime. 

He is smiling. A face like that says a lot about a man. 

It arouses curiosity. 

Behind him, on a wall, an extensive carnival of colours 

in wide frames. I met Krzysztof Konopka in 2010 – he 

was a promising dental implantologist, in a constant 

race for knowledge. Occlusion, implants, surgery. 

An artisan with imagination. We haven’t seen each 

other for ages. Now I see a mature artist, who has been 

exhibiting his work in important European galleries 

and is now preparing for his first exhibition 

on the other side of the globe. 

Krzysztof smiles. 

It is me, I am a human being, who for the whole of his 

life, has been looking for something, and now I have 

found myself in Art! Before that I had been drifting 

in a sort of limbo, then I started to live. 

My works are oil paints, painted on canvas with a spatula. 

It all happens completely subconsciously. On one hand: 

painful “rasping”, “o-rasping”, “oraping”, and on the 

other: emotional creation of new forms and colours, 

8 POST SCRIPTUM

the artist paints in layers in such a way 

that underneath colour surfaces come out 

and mix with new layers. 

of a blend in which I try to be my real self. I call it 

“orapism” and to my surprise the style has been 

named and recognized as a new abstract genre. 

Exactly – Margerita Blonska-Ciardi, a noted art critic 

writes: 

“With spontaneous movements of the brush 

and spatula, the Polish artist wrinkles, rasps 

and scrapes the surface of the canvas. Driven 

by emotional chaos, he adds layers of colours 

on the previously painted figures (…). 

He transfers his fresh and natural gesture. (…) 

he takes out our feelings, catches them in his 

colourful web of different patterns.” 

Krzysztof not only there has been a breakthrough in 

your private life, but also in artistic genres. 

“Ora-pista” is a Portuguese word for “to track now”. 

There must be something to it. “Action-reaction, 

author-receiver, subliminal message, mirror 

reflection”. It took me fifty years to gather enough 

experience, and then suddenly my ability to transfer 

emotions from myself to the canvas suddenly 

blasted off. It became the sense of my life. I have 

never followed any other painter, maybe except for 

Malczewski. It was later, when I confronted painting 

and created my works, that the critics saw more in 

them. They gave them the name, and they found 

me within them. I have never studied art, I wanted 

a fresh start; It’s like with sex: you can read lots of 

literature about sex, but there is no satisfaction from 

just reading! The experience only matters if you try 

it! I think that if I had filled myself with art books, 

with these techniques and rules, like so many people 

told me to, my orapism would have never happened. 

This simple comparison to sex: “Work on your 

technique” … but how? It is primal, you either feel it 

or you don’t. 

Krzysztof, experts in the art field have called you a 

modern expressionist. 

“Yellow, orange, red – they often contrast greens 

and the tones of blue, just like in the expressionist 

paintings of Van Gogh and fauvist ones of Paul 

Gauguin. Some of his works are layer-painted to 

create colourful surfaces which emerge from the 

depths and at the end mix with next levels. It gives 

a dialogue effect between contrasting colour 

elements and encourages the viewer to reflect 

deeply on the works. These pieces lead to extracting 

one’s own atavistic emotions, hidden in the nooks 

and crannies of your subconsciousness.” 

– Ciardi says. 

So, when you scratch and trace, what do you find? 

Is it the painful scratching off the next layers? Is it 

a search for something bigger, or maybe it is contrary, 

an unveiling? How do your paintings come to life? 

At the beginning I painted several dozen paintings 

in a short period, I took speed to the point where 

I thought: “you are tiring your audience”. Then I 

started to approach a painting differently, sometimes 

it turned out that the original sketch did not survive 

till the end. I scolded myself – no one was nagging 

me, no one was forcing me to do anything. I had 

to stop thinking. At first, I painted with brushes, 

unfortunately the paint was drying out too quickly, 

and I still needed to add more and more layers. Then 

there came time for the spatula, and it became “my” 

tool – the media was not drying out on canvas and 

this allowed me to work more flexibly, to mix the 

colours directly on the base. Often the final work 

only merely resembled my original sketch. One time, 

after I travelled through India, I wanted to paint 

a Hindi man, which resulted in a vision of Indian 

colours of the crowded street, without any concrete 

figure. This example shows the lack of attachment 

to the original idea. 

Before becoming a painter, I tried writing, creating 

stories. I have done 70 pages and… got stuck. I knew 

that if I decided to continue writing I would have 


9

to expose myself too much. When I paint, mix up, 

smear – it is like the wild desire, it’s eroticism. But 

one can hide it underneath, under all the layers of 

paint and thus give the viewer space to imagine and 

interpret. To be true to oneself and give freedom to 

the audience. It is the viewer who then penetrates 

the painting, they can transfer themselves into my 

imagination. 

Orapism is a form of freeing. When one can get 

through their inner lies, when one arrives at their 

emotions (to track oneself, to look for oneself), one 

wants to show this. As a result, they can expose 

what they feel. Then they hide it by adding more and 

more layers. It is the viewer who needs to find the 

truth. Deep down, we just want to be authentic. 

Being a dentist is, in a way, craftsmanship. It is routine, 

you know what to expect (as long as there are no 

complications). To be an artist is to feel and be sensitive 

to the unforeseen. Where do you find your sensitivity? 

He laughs 

Real-life is the source. The system has been 

assigning certain tasks to us ever since we were 

born. We are rewarded when we do well, it is all 

well thought through and planned. First school, then 

university which gives us prestige, maybe money and 

satisfaction… The outside pressure: “If you achieve 

all this, you will be happy.” Then a breakthrough that 

happened to our generation somewhere between 

communism and pseudo-capitalism. The race for 

consumer goods was supposed to give us the answer 

to who we were and thus satisfaction. To find one’s 

place and produce the next generation which we 

would be proud of. Wellbeing in a well-structured 

world. Being in a herd is tied up to outside pressure: 

we all do the same things because we are told that 

they are the right things to do, and that we deserve 

all that. We love those who are just like us, who do 

not stand out. So, we live up till our retirement, and 

then look after our grandchildren, maybe travel a 

little. This gives us satisfaction. But it turns out that 

this is the principal lie because something starts 

happening. Lots of my doctor colleagues are already 

dead, they have ventured out in this stampede. 

Do you think that we are losing our sensitivity in this 

race? 

We simply cannot be sensitive in it. We are alerted, 

armoured, resistant to stress. It turned out that 

the friendships made during our studies were fake, 


Wolf 

everyone drifted away from their world in the harsh 

race towards satisfaction, towards job opportunities. 

The same thing happened to the people, who 

knew each other socially, from business meetings. 

Just after 9/11, me and my friends went to study 

dentistry from the best. We drove through the States 

– back then we thought that we’d be invincible 

champions, the ones who tapped into something 

bigger. We thought that as a group we will remain 

close, so many memories, learning together. Instead 

of that, we all got stuck in our clinics, earning money.

What was the breakthrough in your life? 

I went to an international convention on 

implantology in Porto. And suddenly it came to me, 

I think it was the second day of the convention, 

that I will no longer be tightening screws. I decided 

to start my new path and just like that, I walked 

100 kilometres to Santiago de Compostela. I was 

accompanied by a friend and his wife. When I came 

back, I ended all my relationships with people who 

did not approve of my decision, who didn’t even 

want to try to understand them. Suddenly I felt the 

need to paint. And I painted my first work. 

Who is this female figure in your paintings? 

We all have female and male elements within 

ourselves. They keep us in balance. I see women 

as the content, but also as the audience of my works. 

The moment I discover her, when the energy hidden 

in a woman is released, it becomes a complementary 

part of my life. My passion is always the same: 

my wife. It does not matter what the final erotic 

message will be, at the end it is always my wife. The 

love-act is when the two universes meet – the male 

and the female, when the exchange of energy takes 

place. 

Ciardi wrote: 

“The female figure is a source of inspiration for 

Konopka. It makes up the center of the erotic 

composition, emphasized by strong impressionist 

colours taken directly from nature, She shows the 

focus and the background as a whole, she blurs the 

border between the two.” 

Wilk 

I thought that this was my proper life, which gave me 

my clinic, a wife, a son (who is right now a dentist as 

well). I thought that this was the only rational way for 

me. But something was missing. That was when the 

hunger came to me. Two consecutive relationships 

resulted in nothing. It was much later when I met 

the woman, who was the embodiment of energy. 

It turned out that throughout my “proper” life this 

was exactly what I was looking for: the energy. The 

explosion was massive. My priorities and targets 

have changed totally. 

What is colour for you? The viewer can see elements 

of movement, for example of waves or floating clouds 

in contrasting, strongly fractal pilled-up layers. 

The colour comes from temperament. The technique 

of stratification gives possibilities to extract 

movement. Colours are pure, but ultimately when 

they are blended, they pulse, they allow for freeing. 

The figurative subject hides behind contrasting 

layers. This creative process is subconscious. 

I don’t know how it will end. There, underneath 

the scratched layers I invite my audience, to find 

their answers. Colour is the source of my conscious 

expression. I have discovered that using the spatula 

to add thick layers directly onto the canvas allows 

them to blend not on the palette but there on the 


11

Butterfly 

Often the final image is not 

the result of the original idea, 

but only loosely based on it. 


Face 

canvas. This is a process. I am not a theorist in art, 

I create through experience. I did not want to get to 

know anything about so-called “painting”, I wanted 

to paint. I paint a picture for 20 to 40 minutes and 

then never touch it again. I don’t do commissions, 

I don’t know how to paint on demand. I would never 

want to know that. 

So, you are against commercialization. It is extremely 

valuable these days. Since 2017 your paintings have 

appeared in different European galleries, they have 

won awards. In 2020 they were shown in important, 

international exhibitions in Skopje, Milan, and 

Rome. Not so long ago you were a guest at a gallery 

in Warsaw. Your paintings appeared on the poetry 

collections’ covers of an Indian poet, Md Taslima 

(2017). Your name has become well known. Which 

of your many awards is the most important to you? 

My most important award is the “spoken” story 

of my wife about my works. It was a great pleasure 

when my work was shown in Amsterdam for the 

first time. I took the bus with my paintings and for 

the whole day, I wasn’t sure if the exhibition would 

come to life at the end. My friend helped me, he 

said: “Listen, I can see you in this exhibition”. But 

it happened and it was a remarkable experience. 

I met so many important painters from all around 

the world. But an especially important event for me 

was the last Biennale Festival in Florence. My works 

were officially published in the catalogue under the 

name “Orapism”. I am very happy that I had the 

opportunity to appear in an Italian documentary 

(which is being translated into English), and that 

there have been good reviews. I also see my 

appearance in Post Scriptum as an award. 

To be honest… I was nervous, I couldn’t sleep 

waiting for this interview to happen. 

The colourful butterfly on your last painting, is it 

breaking free? Is it you? 

The butterfly shows delicacy and unconditional 

devotion. You can expose yourself like that only in 

front of great trust. A beautiful butterfly is sensitivity. 

So, at the end it is breaking out from limbo. 

You set him free. [KBS] 

www.orapizm.art 


13

My home city 

The March sun wants to penetrate the city with its daggers 

On the edge of a precipice, a preapprehension of white silence 

Warmness of the uplifting blue 

Forsythia intoxicates the senses 

To sit with my mother 

To moisten my mouth with hot tea 

To marvel 

To sadden... 

The time of surprise meetings passes away 

Winter is behind us 

There was no one like that 

Will there be one in a hundred years... 

Steppe wind on the hill 

Surprised, we backfill our eyes with a dream ... 

Anna Maria Mickiewicz 


photos: Renata Cygan 

RC 


15


LOUI JOVER


17


ABSTRACT /SURREALIST PAINTER 

LOUI JOVER 

Having taken up drawing as a child, Loui Jover has been an artist all of his life. 

He has continued to develop and evolve his artistic style through his years 

of practice and his works show a depth and understanding of subject and 

medium. 

Loui’s works are ink drawings on connected sheets of vintage book paper, 

a medium he prefers due to the aged character of old book pages from ruined 

books. His paintings are collected throughout the world, and can be found in 

many public, corporate and private collections. Lois Jover is a full time artist 

residing in Queensland Australia with his family. 

Like all people I started drawing as a child, 

however unlike most other people 

I never stopped drawing. 

POST SCRIPTUM19 

19

POWERFUL PEN AND DRIPPING INK 

DRAWINGS ON PAGES OF VINTAGE BOOKS 


‘‘SUCCESS FOR AN ARTIST CAN ONLY MEAN 

ONE THING – THE FREEDOM TO CREATE’’ 

Firstly, let me say that I am flattered that you agreed 

to share your beautiful art with Post Scriptum readers 

and to have this little chat with me. To prepare for 

this conversation, I have read lots of articles and 

interviews, studied your art and followed you on 

Facebook. And I came into conclusion that you have 

answered every possible question anyone could ask. 

But I would love to share your beautiful artwork 

with our readers, give them some facts about an 

extraordinary artist called Loui Jover, so forgive me 

for not being too original… 

You used to paint with oils on canvas, but at some 

point, decided to switch to ink on paper. Why is that? 

I did used to paint in a very different style using oils a 

long while back but decided I actually liked drawing more 

than painting, which I found slow and cumbersome. 

Drawing is flowing, and ink dries almost instantaneously 

compared to oils, plus I could draw far more 

competently than I could paint. 

You say that you don’t draw stories, but I can definitely 

see some touching stories in your drawings. There are 

emotions, passion, movement. I have also spotted that 

on many drawings there is a little blue bird. What does 

the bird represent? 

The bluebird represents a counterbalance for the 

subjects which can be forlorn or dark in mood at times. 

The bird shows that hope is still present. In other works, 

it offers a minor mystery and colour point. Of course 

every artist tells some kind of story no matter how 

minimal, however my point is that there is no strict 

message to the works or pointed meaning other than 

the one which the viewers themselves want to create. 

I like art that allows the spectators to imagine their own 

story. 


21

Do you make a living out of your art? 

Yes, I do make a living from my work, it is a very 

fortunate situation, so I never take it for granted. 

You draw lots of beautiful women – mainly faces. 

Who are they? Do people pose for your art? 

Do you use models? 

I don’t get shy or strict about subject matter as it 

is the act of drawing itself that interests me, so the 

faces are posed, not posed, inspired from other 

media, or made up. The journey is exciting for me – 

– not the destination. 

Where do you work? Do you have a studio? 

I work in two studios – one for larger works which is 

not too far from my home, and one smaller studio 

for smaller drawings which is in my back yard. 

I can guess that book lovers could be shocked that 

you draw on book pages. I know that you only use 

old, damaged books. But why books? Where did 

the idea came from? 

I got the idea to draw on book pages many years 

ago when I saw that the local charity depot was 

throwing away mountains of unwanted old damaged 

and torn books, these were usually donated after 

a house clearance and were deemed too tatty and 

discoloured to sell. I collected a lot of these books 

and drew on them. 

You once said that you create your art on vintage 

book paper because of its fragility: “the wind may 

blow them away at any moment”. Shouldn’t this 

bother you, that your creations will not stand the 

test of time? 

I did not mean “literally” blow away. I just meant 

that the works I want to create have an ethereal 

or fragile look to them, I was drawn to the masters’ 

drawings from history with their weathered look, 

this is pleasing to me and this was my intended 

meaning. I may have worded it wrong which is 

something I do often but not intentionally. Other 

than that, I believe nothing is everlasting. Anyway, 

it’s just a matter of time before things decay and 

break down to the elements they are created from. 

Many works in museums need constant upkeep 

which is in itself a vital discipline. Works look fresh 

and everlasting because of these individuals who 

restore and refresh the masterpieces continuously. 

My works are sprayed with UV resistant fixative and 

I always recommend UV glass on framed works. 


‘‘The brush loaded with ink 

offers a sensual rich dripping 

line while the pen a nervy 

fragile delicate one’’ 

They also should not be displayed in direct sun 

for long periods, this holds true for all artwork 

and especially now as the sun is only getting 

stronger. 

Which of the world’s famous artists you admire 

the most? 

When I was much younger, I admired Picasso for 

his inventiveness and creative prowess, but over 

time I have admired many who are too numerous 

to mention and the list is always changing. 

What’s your background, what did you study? 

I completed an advanced certificate in visual 

communication and have studied commercial art 

in my youth. In the military I was an illustrator 

and also did courses on print making and making 

models. For a time, I worked as a graphic artist 

and took some classes in modern art practices. 

That’s about all I had the patience for. 

Tell us about your service in the Australian 

army. 

I was in the Royal Australian Survey Corp a part 

of the Australian Army. I was a reprographic 

illustrator and worked on map making, visual 

graphic art and photography including darkroom 

procedures. 

How would you describe your style? 

Figurative with some inclination towards abstract 

design. 

You live in Australia, your name is of Hungarian 

heritage, but I also read that you were born in 

rural Serbia. What’s your story? 

My mother was Serbian my father of Hungarian 

descent, they migrated to Australia when I was 

still a baby, that’s about it. 

Thank you [RC] 


23

Metin Cengiz 

Metin Cengiz is a Turkish poet and writer. He graduated 

from Erzurum Atatürk University, Faculty of Basic 

Sciences and Foreign Languages, Department of French 

(1977). During his years at the university, he worked as a 

civil officer at the Turkish Statistical Institute for a short 

time (1973). Meanwhile, he completed his studies at 

Marmara University, Department of French. 

Then he returned back to İstanbul and began to work 

as a proofreader, editor and translator at publishing 

houses. He established the Şiirden Publishing House in 

2005, in collaboration with his friends, to publish poems 

and essays concerning poetry theory. 

He won the Behçet Necatigil Poetry Award in 1966 

with his book Şarkılar Kitabı (The Book of Songs), Melih 

Cevdet Anday Poetry Award in 2010 with his book Bütün 

Şiirleri 1 (Collected poems 1), Bütün Şiirleri 2 (collected 

poems 2) and Tudor Arghezi İnternational Poetry Award 

in 2011 (Romanya). He is a member of Writers Syndicate 

of Turkey, the Association of Turkish PEN Writers and 

the Turkish Authors Association. 

His poems are translated into several languages such 

as French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Bosnian, 

Russian, Romanian, Arabic, Hebrew, Azerbaijani, Serbian, 

and Kurdish. He organized several international festivals 

in Yalova, Çanakkale and Nicosia. 

*** 

This year rosebuds of this garden don’t bloom 

Be my rain and washed by mine on the streets 

… 

I am the water flows over streets 

Be my gully and my crowded face 

Let me flow with you till the eternity 

*** 

Sundown is tired, sundown is sad, sundown is sole 

Let it fall, let the world drink it to revive 

And get up as if from a lethargic slumber 

As I was a kid I saw how it feels like to be born 

But now I just couldn’t make out death 


Poetry 

POETRY 

THE RAIN 

photo: RC 

© Translated by Volkan Hacıoğlu 2010 

*** 

The rain splashes on the soul, and its powerful drops 

Sweep up the verses in the mind by whistling 

Life is flooded out and your dear eyes 

Your face are all flooded out 

The past I remember on that bridge 

Fists are in the air and demonstration 

And then police baton, gendarme gunstock 

Whatever true to life is left like a dream in that sealed dim distant 

I behold the fire set by the rain on the streets with pleasure 

The fire of rain left into human souls 

Like love, like hope 

We are on fireplace, and everywhere is on fire 

I think life is such a thing 

It squeezes my throat like steel 

I stretch my hand out in the past 

The rain holds my hand only on behalf of my ruined years 

It turns into water, and flows 

My fifty fourth age lost for the sake of a claim 


25


V I S H N E V S K A Y A 


27

IRENE SHERI VISHNEVSKAYA 

Irene Sheri came to the world a painter. More so, Irene came to the world gifted 

with inherent love for the beauty around her. Starting in early childhood, she 

began embracing her need to create, to capture, to express what she saw. Painting 

and drawing quickly became her love letters to the world, and by nine years her 

lifelong passion was created. Irene’s professional journey began in an art school for 

small children, and just six years later, as a young adult student in Grekov Odessa 

Art School, Irene already emerged as a highly talented artist, participating in local 

exhibitions and winning her first awards, including a “Young Artist of the Year”. 

After earning a degree from Serov’s Saint Petersburg Art School, Irene went on 

to hone her craft at the highest level, 

in the Russian Academy of Arts in Saint 

Petersburg., whose halls have been 

fostering and protecting the most sacred 

elements of fine art for almost 300 years. 

The true professional acclaim came to 

Irene in the form of the State Prize in 

Art and acceptance to the Artists Trade 

Union of Russia. Her works were now 

being displayed throughout Russia and 

many European and online galleries; it 

is the increased international exposure 

what ultimately ushered in the next 

part of her life. In late 2001, her works 

attracted the attention of a major Disney 

affiliated creative artist management 

agency. Irene was somewhat resistant 

to the suitors’ initial courtship, who, 

nevertheless, continued being persistent 

in their promises to bring her to the 

United States, to launch American exhibits 

of her paintings, to expose new public to 

her art, and to connect her with American 

artists. By March 2002, the agency 

succeeded. Irene visited Los Angeles 

and becoming a licensed Disney Fine Art 

artist marked her new professional peak. Over the following years, Irene travelled 

between the US and Russia multiple times, gradually building her presence, gaining 

more recognition, and slowly transitioning into novel social, artistic, and business 

cultures. She moved permanently to the United States in 2010. Continuing to 

reflect and to fall in love with the world around her over and over, Irene Sheri 

transformed and changed throughout her life as an artist. Reinventing and blending 

herself with the cues and details that developed around her, Irene filtered time 

and assimilated new elements in a childlike manner. Keeping her classical Russian 

art school origins and embracing new modern western aspects, her paintings an 

impressionists-like core breath the life of everyday trifles, embodying the joy of 

small, everyday things. Tender melancholy, momentary looks, soft smiles and all 

subtle yet well-defined and confident reflections of deep inner harmony and peace 

in her works, brought together concisely and pointedly. Irene firmly commands 

various genres, from still-life to landscapes and portraits. Reminiscent of Renoir, 

Degas and Klimt, her portraits convincingly echo the unaffectedness of a child and 

mature female love in the same captured moments. Most often her characters 

speak through the understated - and ever so hard to capture wholly - elements 

in eyes and hands, making us realise that a true portrait must not be objective 

but rather only genuinely exists in a milky, in-between realm of a confession and 

an existential self-insistence. Irene’s talent continued to endure and break new 

ground with every new period of her artistic life. Over the years, her art has been 

featured in galleries all over the world. The most recent works, featured in this 

book, pay tribute to the best traditions of Romantic Realism, blended with moods 

of Impressionism, and decorated by the best ornaments of Modernism. 

28 


source: website

You were born in the Ukrainian republic in Soviet 

Union. You have Bulgarian parents, you studied in 

Russia and now you live in the States. Where do 

you feel you belong inside? Where is your home? 

I’m cosmopolitan. I feel home everywhere. The most 

important is an energy of a particular place (street or 

building) I live in, the view from the window, things and 

memories I’m surrounded with, and people of course. 

My soul mates are from around the world. 

So, I feel welcomed anywhere. This is true. However, my 

heart is jumping out when I’m landing in St-Petersburg, 

Russia. Yes, this my home! This city is everything to me! 

The streets and embankments, palaces and channels, 

bridges and cathedrals, people, weather, art, theatres 

– all this lives inside of me no matter where I am. I’ve 

gotten the best artistic education there. I don’t mean 

just our art school and traditions but friends and 

teaches who have influenced my life! It seems that I 

learn something from each person I meet on my way, 

even from a yardman. Such an inspiring atmosphere! 

I’m infinitely grateful for each moment I spend there! 

So, tell us more about your university education. Have 

your studies prepared you to be an artist and to live 

from art? 

I graduated Russian Academy of Arts in St-Petersburg 

in 2000, whose halls have been fostering and protecting 

the most sacred elements of fine art for almost 300 

years. I recall that time as the most saturated era in 

my life! Above all, the walls keep memories and spirits 

from the past. As a sensitive person I was able to absorb 

the spiritual atmosphere there, which was extremely 


29

Sometimes 

I feel 

that 

fall 

colours 

are 

my 

favourite 


inspiring! So, the halls were the tutor number 

one. I really wanted to add my spirit as well to 

the halls and studios for the future young artists. 

It’s why I was clearly realizing the responsibility 

of being a student of Imperial Academy of Arts! 

I never thought about my future career as an 

artist. It seems I was always being an artist. My 

studying process hasn’t stopped yet. I continue 

growing and learning something new every day. 

But now I move on by myself without my art 

community, without my professors and their 

advice. To be honest I miss that period of my life. 

Our professors were exceptional, knowledgeable, 

extraordinary, talented artists! Also, they were 

simply good friends and givers! How can’t I 

appreciate the time I spent there! I recall it with 

great gratitude! 

You have been painting from very early 

childhood. Did you always know that you would 

become a painter? 

Yes, I always knew that I would became a painter. 

I never doubted that. So, my parents never asked 

me about my future, like all adults love to do. It 

was clear even for them, that my feature will be 

connected with the arts. 

What profession would be attractive to you if 

you had not become a painter? 

I would be a movie director or a cinematographer. 

It would be a visual work as well. I see the 

significant meaning of art in a visual picture. I 

think a visual pattern fulfils the senses more than 

words. It’s how I feel. If I were a movie director 

my movies would be verbally very laconic and 

concise, but the cinematography would be 

meaningful. 

their own stories if needed. But not me. Colours 

dance with lines, bold contrast with gentle fuzziness, 

brightness with silver shades. Here are some secrets 

of my passion! My goal is to share my energy with my 

audience, to unveil my soul by combining colours and 

shades of the brush strokes. 

What is your painting process? Do you have the 

picture in your head before you start painting, do you 

make plans, or you improvise and let the brush guide 

you? 

The painting process is always different. I never do 

sketches. I create the painting in my mind. It’s always 

been this way. I can’t start before I see it clearly in my 

mind. (But then what happens is a totally different 

story!) Of course, the brush leads me. No doubts about 

that. But it’s a solid duet – the picture in my mind and 

a freewheeling brush make the act of art happen. It’s 

some sort of waltz between my mind, my eyes and my 

hands. It’s sacrament and mystery, which you always 

trust. 

The colour combinations in your paintings are 

extraordinarily vibrant. Do you have a favourite 

colour? 

Sometimes I feel that fall colours are my favourite. Fire 

colours represent my hot temper. It’s kind of a joke, 

but there is some truth in it. I was born in September 

and been extremely inspired in this spectacular season. 

Autumn is a very poetic time. Alexandr Pushkin, who 

was the most popular Russian poet from 19 century, 

wrote his the most famous poetic series in fall, called 

Boldinskaya Osen’ (Boldin Autumn). I’ve always been 

connected to his soul and his poetry, especially from 

this period of time. Fall is time to contemplate and 

absorb the beauty. The Nature is extremely talented. 

Our job is just carefully with great respect learn from it. 

What stimulates your creativity? 

Colour is the most inspiring factor in my 

creativity. As my teacher once said: “It doesn’t 

matter what we paint! It matters how we paint!” 

This statement so matches my attitude to art. As 

I said earlier I see meaning in a visual picture! I 

don’t create any story behind the picture. The 

story is our feelings we get from the paintings. 

Just feelings and emotions. The viewers create 

Who is your master? Which artist do you respect the 

most? 

Gustav Klimt is definitely my master. I admire his 

landscapes, the way how he sees the world, colours, 

vibration of lights, compositions, delicacy. His art 

speaks to me. There are many artists who inspire 

me! Antonio Mancini, Nicolai Fechin are magnificent 

painters whose art is iconic for me! Their colour 

combination and strong-willed brush strokes amaze 

and discipline me at the same time. 

POST SCRIPTUM31 

31

The subject of my paintings are young women; 

the main thematic elements are eyes. 

My aim is to trigger a silent dialogue 

with my audience 


What is the essence of art for you? 

What is essence of art for me? This topic has always 

been at the top of discussions for ages. For me pure art 

comes from a pure soul. If you want to share your inner 

world and to be heard just be sincere and genuine with 

yourself first. And the result will never play a trick! We 

don’t have to understand art. It whether talks to you or 

doesn’t, whether changes you to the better in indirect 

way or doesn’t. Sometimes you fall in love with a piece 

of art and can’t forget it. That means it’s definitely art 

for you, which can be totally mediocre for another 

viewer. 

You paint many beautiful women; sensual, romantic, 

melancholic. Who are they? 

The subject of my paintings are young women; the 

main thematic elements are eyes. My aim is to trigger 

a silent dialogue with my audience, to express a pure 

young female soul through eyes, perhaps fulfilling the 

age-old adage. In this, my paintings are intimate and 

personal, without ever being self-portraits. 

What is the main feature of your artistic personality? 

I think the main feature of my personality is ability 

to spend majority of time in solitude and being so 

comfortable in my own company. But it doesn’t mean 

that I avoid social life. I’m just too picky, I guess, with 

the community. I’m an observer and contemplator. 

When I meet with people I notice the shades on their 

faces, reflections from the sun and their clothes on 

their features, lights, lines. How people smile and how 

their voice and laughter sound like is important for me. 

If their eyes are sparkling or not. If their soul is childish 

or too adult. So, I twig without listening to the stories. 

It’s exactly how I look at art as well, as I mentioned 

before. I believe that a form can be fairer than contents 

(or words). So, I appreciate what I see more than what I 

hear. 

What era, deep down, do you belong to? 

I really believe in reincarnation. So, I easily see myself 

living in 19th century, or the beginning of 20th (one 

of the lives of course). I feel connection with the 

fashion from that era. Appearance of women and their 

manners: how they walked, how they talked, how 

their posture looked like, how dressed they were is still 

something sacral for me. Their feminine was divine. But 

even in that era I had an artistic personality. 

I would adjoin a circle of impressionists in Paris if I were 

living in 19th century now. I’m so fascinated by bright, 

pure colours and visible, messy brushstrokes, which 

were typical for impressionism. “Midnight in Paris” is a 

movie that describes my attitude to that miraculous era! 

What does your studio look like? 

My studio is in an old central part of St-Petersburg, 

Russia. It’s a historical building with beautiful 

penthouses (or mansards, how we called them there). 

My neighbours are all artists as well - sculptors, painters, 

fashion designers, jewellers. Very creative atmosphere. 

It’s my place of power, where I spend some time to 

recharge my battery, to get inspiration or to get back 

to myself. It’s my comfort zone, which I leave time to 

time to continue exploring this world, which is the best 

way to explore yourself. I have everything I need there. 

It’s a light, warm, cosy place with a spectacular rooftop 

view to the old city. The windows are facing north. It’s 

always been my request for an art studio. I paint during 

daytime. It’s why the north light is so important to me. 

The reflection from the sky is very natural and calm. Each 

moment I spend in this studio is meaningful. Sometimes 

I just sit in my favourite, the most comfortable, round 

chair, listen to music and watch dancing rain drops on 


33


the glass of the window and feel a connection to 

something ritual and indescribable. I’m still working 

on my art studio in Chicago, which is my second home. 

I can’t tell I’m satisfied with the working space here 

so far. I know how it’s supposed to be! My plan is to 

build the studio somewhere deep in woods, to be 

surrounded by old trees. It’s going to be a glass space, 

so I will be able to feel involvement with nature. The 

mixed smell of fireplace, coffee and oil paints, music, 

replacing each other seasons beyond the windows, a 

couple of easels, my favourite chair and a cat – this is a 

humble picture of my dream studio. It’s coming) 

How long does one painting take? 

There is no particular time for completing one 

painting. Each peace has a different character as a 

person. Sometimes it takes a week, sometimes – 

weeks. Sometimes I think that it’s still a lot of work 

to go. Keep coming to the canvas staring at it for 

hours (days sometimes), and then suddenly just one 

brushstroke finalizes the painting and it becomes so 

clear that the painting is finished. It’s always mystery 

and a puzzle which you must unravel. Especially if 

you paint a portrait. First of all, you have to get along 

with the person you paint. (But it’s a totally different 

story I can talk about it for ages!). I’m not talking 

about commissions of real people, but about nonexistent 

portraits, which appear to this world from my 

imagination through my canvases. 

Do you paint every day? 

Every day I’m in my studio. I work there. Work includes 

painting process, stretching the canvases, looking 

for the right character I want to paint next, learning 

something new about colour combination, technique, 

textures, styles. It’s a process. Contemplation. 

What other hobbies or interests do you have? 

My hobbies are very conventional. I think it helps 

me to ground from my paintings. I like outdoors and 

indoors. I never feel locked if I spend days inside. I 

even don’t notice it. It seems opposed, that I travel 

through times and miles! I read a lot or listen to some 

interviews with people I find distinguished, watch 

captivating videos. So, time flies by even I don’t leave 

the house. Also, I love baking! For me it’s some sort of 

meditation. I walk. I discover new places I never visited 

before, or opposite – continue visiting over and over the 

same place I’m in love with. I love traveling by car. 

I know you had a very special, beloved friend in your 

childhood: Mickey Mouse. From an early age, you 

drew and painted this character by copying it from a 

sticker brought from abroad. Fortune has come full 

circle now that you work for Disney. How did your 

collaboration with Disney come about? 

Disney is associated with pop culture, does an artist of 

your calibre, so carefully educated, mind the fact that 

you are associated with American cartoons? 

Our life is full of unpredictability and surprises. There 

is a beauty in it. They say there are no accidents. 

Everything happens for the reason. In late 2001 

my works attracted the attention of a major Disney 

affiliated creative artist management agency. I was 

somewhat resistant to the suitors’ initial courtship, 

who, nevertheless, continued being persistent in their 

promises to bring me to the United States, to launch 

American exhibits of my paintings, to expose new public 

of my art , and to connect me with American artists 

. By March 2002 the agency succeeded. I visited Los 

Angeles and became a licensed Disney Fine Art Artist. 

Disney is more than pop culture. It’s everything! It’s a 

religion, god, love, memories, happiness, purity and 

innocence. It’s an enormous part of American culture! 

To be honest, I feel so honoured to join this community. 

And I’m still Irene Sheri. I’m not a cartoonist. For Disney 

I paint impressionistic portraits of children interacting 

with Disney toys. I don’t get out of my style. Remember 

once I recalled my teacher’s statement? “Doesn’t 

matter what we paint. It’s matter how we paint! “. 

What, as an artist, do you wish for? 

As an artist I wish I continue connecting with others 

through my art, engaging with the world and reflecting 

on myself. When we experience art, we also have the 

privilege to experience raw emotions and an inner 

connection to our deepest being. What an incredible 

thing! I wish it lasts for ever! [RC] 

35 


35

SHORT STORY 

Drunk 

bitch 

Suzy fell over in the middle of the 

street. 

I work in a car factory. I say so to 

everyone, although I actually work for 

one of the subcontractors. I tighten 

the screws to parts with names that 

will tell you nothing. Have been doing 

this for a year. I also do other things: 

I sweep, deliver parts, help Frank (my 

boss), but mainly I tighten screws. 

Now I’m screwing up, standing by 

the dirty window and looking for 

Margaret. It’s past three o’clock. 

People are leaving work and should 

soon pass the factory’s windows – 

the factory that makes things and in 

which I don’t work but say that I do. 

Margaret always passes the window. 

In the summer wearing floral dresses, 

in the autumn, a long jacket, and 

during the winter in a worn coat with 

a fur collar. Sometimes she looks at 

me. Not always. But now I’m counting 

on something. On more than just a 

glimpse. Yesterday in the pub I got the 

courage and asked her for a date. 

“Why not?” she smiled. “Call me 

sometime.” 

And off she went to her friends from 

finance. So today, when she passes, 

I intend to invite her to the cinema and 

then for dinner at this restaurant with 

a French name, which God knows how 

to pronounce. I don’t know French. 

Suzy got up clumsily, hastily picked up 

the lunch she was just carrying for her 

father and fell again. Jesus! Someone 

will finally walk over her. A damn 

drunk bitch. 

“Frank!” I shout, not taking my eyes 

from the crowd of men and women 

pouring out of the factory gate. 

He can’t hear because the grinder 

is on. I can already see Margaret 

surrounded by a bunch of friends. The 

women look through the windows of 


Frank’s factory and laugh. I put aside 

the screw in my hand and run to Suzy. 

I grab her under her waist like as she 

was a dog, with my other hand picking 

up her bag and take her off the road. 

“Look after your drunken bitch, or 

next time I will knock her over!” Yells 

some driver from a red Pontiac, before 

storming off with a screech of tires. 

He ran over a salad in a plastic box; 

Frank will have to do without today. 

I hold her closely, afraid to let her go 

so she wouldn’t topple over again. I 

automatically brush the sand off her 

arse. She blushed and looked down. 

I feel uncomfortable too. I look in 

the direction of Margaret, but she 

disappeared around the corner. I 

won’t invite her on a date today. It’s a 

shame because I already have tickets 

in my pocket. Bloody drunk whore. 

I look angrily at Suzy, as she looks 

down, sensing my distaste. 

I’m standing by the window again, 

but I can’t see Margaret. Maybe she 

took the day off? I saw her friends 

who looked at me from the other side 

of the window and started laughing. 

Margaret wasn’t with them. 

“Good morning,” Suzy walked into the 

room, beaming. “I brought you guys 

some lunch.” 

For you? I look at her, surprised, as she 

unpacks boxes and plates. Apparently, 

for me too. She wants to apologize for 

yesterday. For my wasted opportunity 

and missed cinema tickets. Of course, 

she doesn’t know that. Nobody does. 

I don’t even talk to Frank about 

Margaret, although he is the only 

friend I have. I sit down at the table 

and eat all the wonderful things his 

daughter had prepared. Suzy smiles, 

overjoyed, watching us lick our plates, 

she kisses her father on the cheek 

then makes a move as if she also 

wanted to kiss me, but I move away. I 

see the smile fading on her face. 

“Goodbye, Josh,” she says and hurries 

out, not waiting for us to finish eating 

to pick up the plates and boxes. 

Frank stops for a moment, stares at 

the door through which the Drunk 

bitch left. He then looks at me saying 

nothing. We eat. 

I dance with Suzy in the middle of 

a large hall surrounded by other 

couples. There is an annual ball for 

factory workers. They invited Frank, as 

a long-time supplier, but he gave me 

the invitation. 

“I don’t have anyone to go with” I 

protest, knowing that this isn’t an 

excuse; he has no one to go with 

either. Last Sunday there was a mass 

for Frank’s wife- the fifth anniversary 

of her death. 

“Invite Suzan”, he suggests. 

What a ridiculous idea! But then I 

realized that Margaret would be there 

too.

I’m dancing with the Drunk Bitch as 

she smiles brightly. She is the only girl 

I know who can smile like that. Even 

her eyes laugh. She has this special 

glow. I notice Suzy has nice breasts 

and very beautiful legs. I can see it 

now. Usually the girl wears jeans and 

jumpers, which hide her perfect figure 

well. When I think about it, I come to 

conclusion that she has better legs 

than Margaret. Not to mention her 

bum. I still remember these curves 

from when I brushed her off from 

the sand. We dance. She didn’t even 

stumble once. Just in case, I hold her 

close. I can smell her perfume and the 

scent of slightly sweaty skin and her 

freshly washed hair. Beautiful, long 

and thick hair. She looks into my eyes 

and I get the first punch to my stomach. 

Not a real one. Metaphorically. 

For the next dance I invite Margaret. 

I am here, bending in front of her, as 

if my stomach really hurts, trying to 

shout over the loud music. Maybe my 

stomach really hurts after all. Out of 

fear. 

“Thanks, but no. I need a rest” says 

the girl. 

Then she looks at her friends, 

who burst out laughing, as if I said 

something funny. I don’t dance well, 

that’s probably why. I go to my table, 

where Suzy is still grinning and sit 

down next to her, disappointed. I can 

see some guy coming over to Margaret 

and she goes with him to the dance 

floor without a second thought. That 

was a quick rest! Not even a minute 

had passed. I know this man. He is a 

manager from quality control. He had 

called us several times because he 

wasn’t happy with something we’d 

done. There was some scratch or 

something. A terrible crud, but doing 

what he does, being a crud is probably 

an advantage. The crud dances with 

my Margaret, as the Drunken Bitch 

puts her hand in mine as if we were 

a couple. It’s good that nobody saw 

beneath the table. 

“Don’t give the bitch any alcohol, 

she’ll be rubbing the floor with her 

boobs.” 

Several youngsters from the assembly 

line pass by our table. They laugh. I see 

Suzy’s face thicken and feel her fingers 

clenching my hand. I want to get up, 

but she stops me. That’s probably for 

the best- there were four of them. Not 

to mention the fact that the entire hall 

is filled with their colleagues. Nobody 

would help me. I sat back in the chair. 

It would be nice to hit the twat in the 

teeth, but it would also be nice not 

to get my teeth knocked out. I just 

realized that I am not much better 

than them. 

We leave the ball. I hold her waist 

tight as she hugs me. I feel strange. 

Ridiculously, incomprehensibly 

pleasant. 

My grandfather founded this factory. I 

won’t mention its name because then 

you’d know everything. About me and 

my family. That’s why I won’t tell you. 

I won’t even reveal the name of the 

city or the state in which the factory 

is located. My father’s idea was for 

me to start with simple jobs and 

understand workers. He was afraid 

that they would quickly decipher me 

at the factory, that’s why he placed me 

at Frank’s. Frank wasn’t aware either. 

Somehow, my father managed to 

arrange all that through someone. A 

few days ago, the change finally came. 

I became managing director. I don’t 

know French, but I know German, 

Russian and Mandarin. And a little bit 

of Japanese. 

I walk with Margaret hand in hand. 

She is joyful and smells good. Maybe 

she sprayed her perfume a little too 

intensively, but the smell is pleasant. 

Not as sexy as Suzy’s skin, but still 

nice. We are pass the windows of my 

former workplace. 

“I’ll say hello to Frank,” I say. 

“You must stop hanging out with that 

pleb,” my Margaret says, cursing her 

lips in contempt. “I am your girlfriend, 

so you bring shame not only on 

yourself, but also to me.” 

I know she’s right. We pass Frank’s 

department. With the corner of my 

eye, I see him covered in a plume of 

sparks from the grinder. It’s good that 

he can’t see me. I breathe a sigh of 

relief. 

“I’m afraid” Suzy cries in my arms. 

“what if it all goes wrong?” 

Then you’ll continue to stagger 

walking down the street and people 

will still call you the “Drunk Bitch.” 

And I will still love you. I think that in 

my head, but don’t say anything. We 

are sitting on a big bed in our new 

home. Suzy is naked, I hug her body 

and kiss her neck. I love the smell of 

her skin and her hair. For a long time, I 

knew nothing about her illness. Frank 

never told me. I only talked to him 

about this once, if you could even 

call it a conversation. I suggested that 

Suzy should drink less. He looked at 

me furiously. Weird, my ex-boss is the 

gentlest guy I know. 

“I like you, Josh,” his voice changed, it 

was as rough as sandpaper “You are 

a decent boy: smart and hardworking. 

That’s why I’ll pretend you didn’t say 

that. Okay?” 

And that was that. 

At some point I did find out. Suzan 

had never been drunk in her life. 

After having an ordinary flu, she 

got complications an ear infection, 

damaging the workings of her inner 

ear. That’s why she walks like a drunk. 

Not always. Sometimes she’s normal, 

and sometimes she can’t maintain 

her balance. I now have access to my 

father’s money and I have arranged 

for her surgery, which is very likely 

to restore her health. At least the 

doctors say so. 

I enjoy the fragrance of Suzan’s skin, 

hugging her even tighter. 

And Margaret? 

“You have to stop associating yourself 

with the pleb,” she said in front of 

Frank’s department. 

And I understood that she was right. I 

passed some large, dirty windows and 

pulled my hand out of hers. 

“Goodbye, Margaret. Call me 

sometime!” 

I looked into her big, surprised eyes 

and started to laugh. I wasn’t laughing 

at her. Not at anybody. I laughed out 

of happiness that I’d finally freed 

myself from her. And I ran home to my 

“Drunken Bitch” who was just packing 

lunch for Frank. [JP] 


37

I AM THE UNIVERSE 

I’m the entire universe in great affection, 

Gathering cautions and dispelling flying fears. 

I create the mountains and fill up the seas, 

Catching unknown sounds to be brought to subjection. 

I guard the fire, I am creating rich illusions, 

Seizing cool breeze I am wallowing in wonders. 

I am collecting only the correct decisions. 

I hug the moon and diminish sudden thunders. 

I wander the wilderness, feel totally unheeded, 

I’m taking up the reins and flare in golden fields, 

Flee when unwanted, and appear when I am needed, 

Root in the ground and a fish in turquoise sea. 

I am fidgeting like ants, just like we all do. 

I hum ballads, blow a trumpet, add the spice. 

I’m a spinner, I’m a cloud and I’m a clue, 

But only in your loving eyes I come alive. 

WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME 

When you whisper in silver and gold, 

I turn into the moon in the dusk. 

Lifting body like clouds to the sky 

Getting rid of all fears 

And masks. 

When you look at me 

Like no one has, 

Your love song echoes right inside me, 

I am seizing tastes of olive groves, 

Losing the remnants of sanity. 

When your eyes touch me I want to drown 

And the dress fits my body so nicely! 

I dance lightly on stairs up and down! 

When you look at me 

I am so attractive! 

Translatied from Polish by Jerry Umys and Renata Cygan 


MELANCHOLY 

They plugged a few feathers into my shoulders, 

So I believed that I had wings. 

Rich decorations on the surface, 

But inside stuffed with dust and sins. 

When the sun sets I’m getting closer 

To all the traps and poking stings. 

I’m a space object, somewhat gritty, 

Sprouting new feathers in the snow, 

Every sunbeam - cute and pretty 

Sculpts smiles in yellow clay with a glow. 

The fortune teller pours dark water, 

I teeter like a tightrope walker. 

I will not squander scraps of gladness, 

Nor will I stop my joyful amblings. 

You will emerge from clouds in blackness, 

Write me a poem about Chaplin, 

I’ll bring the lilies, without asking, 

Before I anchor back to sadness. 

POEMS AND PHOTOS: 

RENATA CYGAN 

MULBERRIES 

Mulberries - dancing lights and sweetest white fruit, 

We go there after school - cut across the cemetery, 

Some scraping noise in branches - a bird en route, 

Or maybe there’s a stray kitten lonely and unwary? 

Many of them are around the school building, 

Dogs too - happy - not searching for an owner. 

And the grimy children, so wonderfully free, 

Surrounded by the adventures on every new corner. 

Now there are no mulberry trees, and the school is gone. 

They demolished it last spring, despite the resistance. 

Sentiments don’t matter, life has to go on, 

But I wish I was able to zoom in from the distance... 


39


photos: Renata Cygan 


41

D A M I A N O 

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

42 42 POST SCRIPTUM

E R R I C O 


43

l i k e g r e a t m a s t e r s 

If one day 

I no longer 

have 

the enthusiasm, 

I will no longer 

take 

photographs 


Damiano Errico was born in Caserta in 1970. He attended 

the Art Institute of S.Leucio (CE), where he met the painting 

master Bruno Donzelli and spent a long period as an 

assistant in the master’s studio learning painting techniques. 

After graduating, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts 

in Naples, where he studied photography with Mimmo Jodice. 

From the first meeting with the master till now, not a day goes 

by without photography. He often exhibits in galleries and 

museums, and carries out many photographic workshops 

and seminars in Italy and Europe. 

How did you become an artist? 

It happened in very early childhood – I was 6/7 years 

old, when I used to spend my days in my father’s tailor’s 

shop, yes... my father was a tailor and created tailor- 

-made clothes. I very often played with fabrics and 

always drew. At that stage my passion for creativity was 

born. I watched how, from a piece of cloth, a dress was 

born. Today I try to “dress” my models with light. Light 

does not strip bodies but dresses them with poetry. 

Beautifully said… 

When it comes to education, you started your 

adventure with art with painting (studying painting 

under the supervision of Bruno Donzella). I read that 

you weren’t interested in photography until you met 

the great photographer Mimmo Jodice at the Academy 

of Fine Arts in Naples, where you were studying. What 

did Mimmo Jodice say that made you change your 

mind after one conversation? 

I did not like photography. I wanted to become a painter. 

I thought photography was a minor/trivial art. Mimmo 

Jodice made me understand that photography is not 

made up of numbers and formulas, but of poetry and 

culture, of art history, of emotions. I remained in ecstasy. 

I immediately bought a camera and since that day I have 

always taken photos. 

Mimmo Jodice is known for photographing 

contemporary cultures: landscapes, cities, industrial 

buildings, etc., the human figure is rarely physically 

present in his works. You mainly photograph people. 

What influenced your own style the most? 

The master Jodice has often portrayed classical 

sculptures, he managed to give life to a block of marble. 

I want to convey the same emotions, but in the opposite 

way. I want to transform people, models into paintings 

and sculptures. From Mimmo Jodice I learned how to 

look for feelings in people, landscapes and sculptures. 

Yes, your photos look like the works of 

great masters. Do you have a favourite master? 

I love all the masters who have created masterpieces, 

but in particular I love Caravaggio for his theatricality 

and his realism, Vermeer for his natural light, Bernini for 

his pathos in stone and Canova for the pursuit of beauty. 


45


But the most important period in the history of art is 

certainly the Greek civilization with its classical art and 

its ideals of beauty. 

Where do you get your inspirations from? 

I am inspired by the beauty of nature, by the light 

that enters through a window, I am inspired by female 

beauty. I also read many art history books and go around 

museums and galleries. But nature is my greatest 

teacher. 

In one of your interviews you said: photography is a 

vocation, almost a “biblical” conversion: it was she 

who chose me, breaking into my life, since then not 

a day has gone by without it. For me, photography is 

not a uniform that is worn but it is my own skin. I live 

constantly on photography! 

Can you still see the outside world like an ordinary 

person, or do you look at it as a photographer? 

Every day that I wake up, every day that I 

open my eyes, I try to find the “beauty” that 

surrounds me. Even if I don’t have my camera 

with me, I still try to collect the pictures with 

my mind. These are all experiences that remain in our 

hearts and minds. We can take photos even without a 

camera, only with our eyes and our heart: these are 

the most exclusive photos, only ours – personal and 

unique. 

A recipe for a perfect photograph? 

Each photograph contains all our experience, our 

studies, the books we read, the exhibitions we visit, the 

good music we listen to. Our photographs are x-rays 

of our intellect. If we experience many emotions, our 

NATURE 

is my greatest teacher. 


47

photographs convey many emotions. So, I say that all our 

essence is concentrated in a photoshoot. 

I believe that art is the essence of things, Michelangelo 

said that if the idea exists in matter, we must discover 

it. So, I believe that photographs already exist in nature, 

our sensitivity and our experience can find them. I look 

around and see many wonderful photos, even if sometimes 

I don’t have a camera I’m still happy because I see 

them, they remain in my mind. 

Do you have your own studio? What is most important 

to you when it comes to studio equipment? 

For me the equipment is not important at all, I can also 

shoot with a phone, the important thing is the emotion 

and enthusiasm that I carry within me. That will be 

the enthusiasm that my photographs will transmit. 

If one day I no longer have the enthusiasm, 

I will no longer take photographs. 

You favour natural light. Where do you prefer to work, 

in the studio or outdoors? 

I prefer to work in the bedroom, in dark rooms, where I 

can look for the light, my light. I start with a dark 

room, then I start introducing light, so it’s almost a 

divine process, I look for the light in the shadow and I dig 

it out from the shadow. 

You have published a book called Fleur in which you 

presented fifty photos of women with floral elements. 

The female figure is almost always in the centre of 

your paintings. What does this woman represent for 

you? 

My book Fleur represents the female universe. The 

woman is the human, terrestrial form that approaches 

the perfection of nature, in the woman the secret of 

universal beauty is kept. 


When starting work with a model, do you have a plan, 

a ready story in your head, or do you get carried away 

and improvise on set? 

I have many projects in my artistic research, some are 

fundamental: Fleur, Towards the painting, Red. Each 

model (both female and male) has characteristics for 

these projects. When I see a woman I immediately 

begin to imagine what sculpture it could be, what Venus 

she could represent. My research stems from long 

reflections. 

Mimmo Jodice said, “My work will end in the age 

of digital photography.” How do you see digital 

photography? Do you happen to take photos with your 

smartphone? 

For me, photography is a language. It doesn’t matter the 

equipment, it doesn’t matter if we work with a film, with 

a digital camera or with a smartphone, the important 

thing is that we can translate what we have in our mind 

and in our heart. 

Do you edit your works in post-production, digitally 

process them, e.g. in photoshop? 

Yes, I often work with photoshop. What matters is 

the result. When a photo or a painting or a sculpture 

excites me, I don’t care with what means or with what 

equipment it was made, I just think that I get excited. 

Technical question: what camera and lenses do you 

use? 

My camera is a reflex (5D markIV) and the preferred 

lense is a 85 mm. 

You live in a small town next to your birthplace 

Caserta. Where do you find your models? 


49

I live in a place with beautiful locations, but I travel a 

lot around Italy and Europe, I do many workshops and 

seminars, I often meet interesting models. They often 

contact me on facebook or instagram, I decide which 

ones are best suited to my photography. 

Towards painting – this is the name of your workshop. 

Tell us about this project. 

Towards painting is my photographic journey that starts 

from Damiano Errico painter, to arrive at Damiano Errico 

Photographer, and then returns to Damiano Errico 

painter. I studied a lot of art history, now I try to bring 

my artistic knowledge to the disposal of photography. 

So my photography is inspired by painting and the great 

masters of art. Maybe one day I’ll go back to painting. 

Do you still do commercial work as a photographer 

(weddings, fashion)? 

I have done many commercial works, now I am 

dedicating to workshops, training courses and 

exhibitions. I am very lucky because I can do a job that is 

also a passion, I am serene. 

In 2015 your photos were featured in Vogue, what 

was the project? 

It often happens that my photographs are published or 

shared. This is wonderful because my photography is 

more visible. There were no projects, just a question of 

sharing. 

What is your job like now in times of pandemic? 

Our photographs 

are x-rays of our intellect. 


Now the job has changed, we spend a lot of time at 

home. I am making videos where I talk about my 

photography, my inspiration, my experiences. I do a lot 

of live shows and I’m preparing online lessons. I believe 

future work will be done online 

What is Art for you? 

This question is very difficult and subjective. This 

question is the secret of every artist’s research. For me, 

art is the need to express our ideas, but above all it is 

the need to remain our track for the future. Art makes 

us feel immortal, because the body dies but our soul 

remains forever in our works. 

day I photographed a window, sometimes I had 

my daughter as a model, other times, having no 

models, photographing objects. This is how my still 

lifes were born. Many ask me what the difference 

is between my still lifes and my portraits, I believe 

there is no difference, in both I look for beauty 

and essence, and then I dress them with the same 

light. 

So, the conclusion would be that in photography 

light is the most important tool, together 

with emotions, passion and experience of 

the photographer. I wish you many days and 

years full of passion and beautiful pictures. 

I will come back to the pandemic – we are all suffering 

the difficulties, new world is being born before 

our own eyes, nothing is going to be the same any 

more. How are you managing it as an artist? 

As I said – I have a library of pictures in my head, they 

exist deep down inside me. During lockdown, especially 

in the first few days, I had a void in my heart, I was afraid 

of not loving photography anymore. But after a few 

days I thought that my cure was the light of my home. 

The ice that entered through the windows. So, every 

Thank you very much for this very interesting 

conversation, we are truly honoured and very 

happy to be able to share your extraordinary 

art. 

Thanks for these wonderful questions [RC] 


51

MAREK PORĄBKA 

IN THE MORNING LIKE A MACHINE GUN 

In the morning 

like a machine gun 

With short bursts 

of sentences crashes 

what’s near the mouth 

In the afternoon 

whatever is left 

she hangs 

on the branches of trees 

Poetic washing with poems 

She is brilliant 

Like a machine gun 

HOW MUCH 

How much I should value 

you 

I only appreciate 

in the morning 

Earlier 

you were trying to get 

to me 

But I don’t hear 

your scream 

O Lady 

Forgive me 

NOT EVERYTHING 

And there, after all 

not everything is gold 

Underwear factories 

sell us 

imaginations 

In well-chosen 

packages 

CLEANING WINDOWS 

This is not even about 

the windows to be clean 

for the feast 

But to clean the windows. 

To chase the Easter bunny. 

The first pre-holiday rain 

will reset everything. 

INVESTMENTS 

POETRY 

SECOND SURPRISE 

Appeared the second surprise 

That there is a theory 

of probability, and yet 

I hear nothing 

about the theory of 

assurance 

MOUNTAIN 

Beautiful 

Unavailable 

From which 

no one has 

any use 

Every year you become 

more and more lonely 

A pile of stones 

FUEL 

There’s so much left 

of yesterday’s fuel 

that after 

I am still spinning 

on the movement 

of celestial spheres 

Like today’s Blue Moon 

Winged euphoria 

raises me, maybe it’ll last 

till hot summer 

Or better yet 

until next summer 

Everything will rust 

or will be stolen 

Therefore, the only 

valuable thing 

in which I invest 

is the imagination 

IT HAPPENS 

Like a poor man from Assisi 

preaching sermons 

to his smaller brothers 

I am reading 

at an author’s evening 

poems to books 

at the city library 


translated by Renata Cygan

RED 

when in London 

at Tooting 

at the interval between bus number 57 

and the subway line to Streatham 

passed me a man 

the one from the Tower of Babel 

the rhythm of the city was measured 

by Big Ben 

when leaning against a plane tree 

I thought 

about yesterday’s whiskey, 

a black cab just arrived 

wooden seats 

reminded me of the armchair at home 

when people’s lives were fulfilled 

with work and play 

and everything was happening 

under the Big Eye of London 

between the houses flitted a red fox 

RC 

RYSZARD GRAJEK 

NOT A HARVEST YET 

GOLDEN NUMBER 

golden partition 

golden poem 

shines stupefies 

creates fractals. 

is it because it’s always been 

mathematics or poetry 

poetry or mathematics 

you look, you think 

the golden stream flows 

Tomorrow, about which I know everything 

- Is only an illusion to me 

Expected tomorrow 

- But what will it bring 

Tomorrow visible today 

- but what does it mean 

seeds like stars in the sky 

seeds like grains of sand 

in this is Everything 

already a grain, not a harvest yet 


53

54 


DARIUSZ 

KLIMCZAK 

55 


The magic lies in simplicity. 

Dariusz Klimczak was born 

in 1967 in Sieradz, Poland. He is a 

painter, journalist, poet, musician, 

and a photographer. He has taken 

part in both collective and individual 

exhibitions in his home country of 

Poland, as well as abroad. For the 

past 10 years he’s been working with 

surrealist photomontages based 

on his photos. Whilst he prefers 

contrasting black and white square 

frames, he doesn’t shun traditional 

colourful pieces. In his phototricks, 

he looks for the atmosphere, 

anecdotes and universal symbols, 

which can deeply move his audience, 

making them reflect and smile. 


I don’t believe in afflation 

but in regular work. 

A journalist, a painter, an ex-rock-percussionist, and 

a composer. How did it happen that you became 

a photographer? 

I have been taking photos for more than 30 years. I have 

started with my old analogue camera “Zenit” and only one 

lens. I attended an art school, where we had a chance to 

experiment in the dark room with multiple layers of movie 

frames, and even with photomontages. However, they 

were lacking the precision which can now be achieved 

with computer programmes. When I discovered the 

possibilities of photoshop, I quickly switched to digital 

photography and editing. It started as a game by adding a 

dog-head onto my friend. It looked so realistic. I decided 

to take this path and create my little worlds based on bits 

and pieces from my regular photographs. From the very 

beginning, I wanted to create a realistic illusion. 

In the time of the Internet, computers, and easy access to 

free stock , almost everyone could create photomontages 

using Photoshop or other editing programs. You made it 

into a lifestyle. Where does this success come from? 

I think for me it was all about being systematic and 

consistent and to earn a living from it. I rarely needed to 

do commissions such as weddings and first communions. 

Several years ago, I decided to create one piece a day – 

no matter what. I don’t believe in sudden inspiration, 

only consistent work counts. With time and experience in 

using Photoshop, I started creating several pieces a day. 

In my opinion, if it is my work (,) all elements should be 

photographed by me, that’s why I never use stock photos. 

Open space, freedom, harmony, purity, clear picture, 

magic, contrast in tone and composition – these are the 

main characteristics of your works. What would you call 

your style? 

I would say it is neo-surrealist. I base my works on classics, 

which you can see in the composition of my photographs. 

I don’t like chaos or overcrowding in my works, I don’t like 

too many elements. I try to reach harmony for my stories 

to be clear and understandable. The magic lies in simplicity. 

Although I take inspiration from surrealism, understanding 

the artistic achievement of its creators, but I don’t copy 

anyone. 

Could you describe how you create your works? I am 

interested in the process. 

Usually, I start with the landscape. I look for something 

special, a base, whether it’s the rhythm, an interesting 

texture or something unique. Then I add the clouds, I have an 

abundant collection of them. I want them to complement, 


57

visually, whatever is happening on the ground. I like 

repetitive rhythm patterns. I find the focal point (a person, 

an animal, or a plant), around which I build the story. I look 

for simple symbols that are comprehensible to everyone. I 

don’t want the focal points to be some accidentally added 

elements, but to be one form of a corresponding piece, 

ones which raise suspense and complement one another. 

What makes a collector’s piece of photography? 

Photography is generally repetitive. From an original 

digital piece, one can make thousands of prints, just like 

we used to be able to copy one plate into multiple prints. 

That influences the price (the more there are, the less it’s 

worth). For a copy to have some value to the audience it 

needs to be rehashed as little as possible. it happened a 

couple of times, that I have sold an original, single piece of 

my work. This makes the collector feel unique. More often 

I sell 30 signed copies of one work. 

I want to create 

a realistic illusion 

And why the square-frame? 

Many reasons: first of all, I have a sentiment for ( I am 

sentimental about ) the 6x6cm form which was so popular 

in analogue cameras of my youth (inter alia Start, Pentacon 

Six, Rolleiflex). This form is easier to compose from. 

Secondly, a square has the peace and harmony, which, as 

I mentioned before, I am looking for. Finally, I just want to 

be original, a square among rectangles. 

You are the creator of a new and surrealistic world, 

where does your inspiration come from? 

Mainly from nature. I travel a lot, trying to find new 

motives for my works. It appears to me that nature is 

most diverse and rich in inspiration. I have a couple of my 

favourite places in Poland, every time I visit them, they 

look different, which always surprises me. The Dunes in 

Czołpin near Łeba is one of those places. I have visited it 

at least several dozen times throughout different seasons 

and at different times of the day, each time finding a new 

idea to add to my compositions. Another place like that is 

Jeziorsko on the Warta river, it’s a unique landscape and 

at times an unreal one. It has been a base for many of my 

works. 

Your works have been compared to the ones by Salvador 

Dalí, do you have a favourite artist? 

Yes, I have heard about these comparisons but I feel a lot 

closer to René Magritte. For years I had been a painter, now 

I use that experience when I work on my computer. I also 

enjoy pieces by Jacek Malczewski, his use of the reds and 

shadows is remarkable. I adore Beksiński, I have also heard 

some of my darker works being compared to his. I am keen 

on impressionists, but most of all on Francis Bacon. It is 

impossible to list all the artists close to my heart. 

I have read somewhere that your private ambition is to 

create a visual Esperanto. Could you elaborate on this? 

They say “a painting is worth a thousand of words”. Through 

the use of simple visual symbols, like a tree or doors, we 

can reach a diverse audience, without even knowing 

their language. Esperanto was supposed to be the lingua 

franca, what Latin used to be. It was supposed to allow 

communication between people from all over the world. 

My works hang on the walls of houses standing on almost 

all the continents, that probably means that they are 

comprehensible to people from cultures fundamentally 

different to my own. 


“A common mistake I notice in people creating montages is – as I call it – the Land of the 

Two Suns. Interestingly, it happens even to the best. It consists in the fact that the object 

placed on the background is lit from a different side than the background. Such a procedure 

immediately disqualifies work in my eyes. This is probably due to the rush and distraction 

of the vision. The author, delighted with what is playing in his soul, forgets in the main 

excitement about the main laws of physics. I have had some visible mishaps, so I’m sensitive 

to them. Yes, surrealism is governed by laws, distorts proportions, bends gravity, but in my 

opinion even flying hippos should be lit from the same side as the landscape over which 

they hover. From the beginning of my adventure with composing an image, my goal was to 

create an illusion of reality. So credible that the viewer would test whether he is watching 

a photomontage. “ 


I strive for HARMONY, 

I try to make my stories 

clear and legible. 


the square has calmness in its shape 


61


I pay precise 

attention to 

how I cut the 

elements 

Your photographs demand incredible patience, realistic 

precision and taking care of even the smallest details. 

How long does it take to create one piece? 

I pay precise attention to how I cut the elements. I study 

them closeup, look for every edge so as not to unveil 

the illusion. Throughout the years I have gained fluency, 

almost a routine, thanks to which I can now finish one 

piece in one day. However, if there are many elements it 

takes much longer to finish a project. My record is 7 days 

– this was for a piece with hundreds of figures that I put 

together. 

Now it’s time for a technical question: what kind of 

camera and lenses do you use? 

For years I have been a loyal Canon-user. I owned a couple 

of models. Right now I work on Canon 5D Mark 3. It’s a full 

frame, which allows me to obtain high quality. It is more 

than enough for my needs. I am not a gear-geek, I only 

use portrait lenses with 1.4 light and a regular Canon kit 

21-105 mm for the landscapes. 

Artistic plans for the future? 

For the last dozen years or so, I have not allowed myself 

to rest, working from dawn to dusk, now I plan to take 

things a bit slower. To focus on promoting and selling what 

I already have. I am planning to publish two photography 

albums (one in black-and-white one, the other in colour), 

which will sum up my achievements to date.[RC] 


63

*** 

We learn each other like Adam and Eve 

from the tree of the knowledge of good 

and better 

You ripen in the sunshine of my gaze 

You ripen 

And I try to bite you 

Like the skin of an apple to learn 

Your true taste 

graphic: RC 

*** 

We’re looking ahead: 

Meadows are walking to meet us 

Mountains climb up 

To our thoughts 

The world has fallen at our feet 

And now it’s fawning 

and purring 

*** 

I feel good 

So good 

for I can see your thoughts 

And feel the red of your heart 

when under the bandages 

of your hands 

lie silenced 

all my wounds 

*** 

When you are with me 

I forget the whole of God’s world 

for I myself become God’s world 

ideally perfect 

reflected in the mirror 

of your body 

*** 

There’s no faith 

There’s no hope 

There’s love 

as pure 

as spring water 

There’s intimacy 

of two souls 

- petals 

of hot snow 

*** 

I drink with my eyes 

the beauty of your body 

which flows 

through me 

so that I could 

swim in it 

*** 

We lie on the edge of a forest 

The firs are looking into our eyes 

with their cones 

We talk silently 

With words of love 

And the alphabet of glances 

We shoot the breeze 

and weave a wreath for you 

from colourful flowers 

and confessions 


*** 

I fall asleep with a yearning 

for your lips 

JULIUSZ WĄTROBA 

I wake up in an empty bed 

full of you 

*** 

Your feminity a flowery meadow 

My masculinity brambles 

I enter your life 

on tiptoes 

with my willpower - if you will? 

you turn a blind eye on me 

and disregard 

the burden of feelings 

Polish Poet, satirist, prose writer, columnist; 

lyrical debut in the magazine Radar, 

satirical debut in Szpilki (1977), 

book debut in Wydawnictwo Śląsk (1983); 

author of over 50 books, hundreds of song 

lyrics, musicals, cabaret shows; member 

of the cabaret group TON; hundreds of 

poems published in the press and in various 

collective editions; cooperation with the 

Polish Radio between 1989 and 2004, where 

his works were read by some of the county’s 

most outstanding actors; winner 

of approximately 100 literary contests, 

and of numerous awards for his literary 

and cultural achevements. He is a member 

of the Polish Writers Union and the Polish 

Society of Authors and Composers (ZAIKS) 

*** 

I know you don’t love me 

And there’s nothing I can do 

Nothing anyone can do 

But if I could use fidelity 

yearning and pain 

to beg for 

love 

you would have been 

mine 

a long time ago 

*** 

You lead me into temptation 

non-fulfilment 

and perdition 

What have I done to deserve 

this all-consuming despair 

without your breath 

to take in 

and to take away 

translated by Jarosław Fejdych 


65

66 


photo: Sylwester Ciszek 

on the other side of 

ALICJA C R I M E 

ALICJA STAŃSKA is a master of embroidery, an alumnus of École Lesage 

Paris. She has mastered traditional and lunéville embroidery and trained herself in different 

techniques from around the world. Additionally, she graduated with a master’s degree in 

criminology (specializing in Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence Services) from UTH in Warsaw. 

Stanska uses her art to teach and fight for human rights. During Design Days 2014, she presented 

a lecture titled Slavery in 21 st Century. In 2015, her collection of works The Thread of Life was 

exhibited in the National Gallery of Art in Sopot. In 2016 another of her collections The Most 

Expensive Product of the World was dedicated to unveiling the human trafficking problem. To 

spread awareness on the important issue of organ trafficking Alicja made a set of paintings called 

Body in which some of the embroidery acted as an interpretation of old surgical sketches. The 

exhibition was displayed at a well-known gala organized by the Foundation for Transplantology. 

For the past several years the artist has been preparing the exhibition Whose Fault, which is 

going to be shown in Poland amongst other European counties. The promotion poster was 

created by an award-winning Paris-based Polish artist Michał Batory. Stanska is also the head of 

the Promotion of Artists and Craft Foundation. In 2017, in the heart of Warsaw she has opened 

her own art gallery, which aims at promoting both new as well as already established artists. 

Despite being awarded for her artistry and craftsmanship, Stanska still strives for perfection. She 

is not afraid to ask her audience and other institutions difficult questions, nor she is afraid to 

challenge them. Her search allows her to find the often-dramatic truth, which hides behind her 

beautiful objects. 

67 


I have always been interested 

in the sources of violence 

photo: Damian Andrzejewski 

Alicja Stańska 

Every day we are bombarded with violence. It has 

become an inseparable part of news and television. 

The newspapers day by day write about violent murders, 

about acts of violence, often aimed at children. Now and 

then a new extremely dangerous serial killer surfaces and 

causes panic. The most famous ones, if they are caught 

and charged, get the media’s attention, and become the 

“heroes” of movies and books. Violence is incorporated 

into the world order. Does it mean that the more we 

get to know about it the less sensitive we are to it? Less 

vigilant? Especially in the days of a global pandemic, the 

violence is often quietly hidden behind the closed doors 

of our neighbourhoods. 

What then is the role of the artist in the process of 

spreading awareness on growing violence? Do they, and if 

so, how do they need to move their audience? According 

to Stańska, they should take a closer look at the sources 

of the crime. 

The conversations with an incredible woman, an artist, 

a mother, an art patron. 

How did it happen, that after graduating from 

a pre sti g ious e m broide r y sc hool you be cam e 

a criminologist? 

I have always been interested in the sources of violence, 

ever since I was child. Not literally how one commits 

a crime, how one kills, but what pushes a human being 

to commit a crime. The observations from my childhood, 

seeing some situations, reassured me that it is necessary 

to seek the answer to my question: where does the evil 

come from? 

Where did the idea behind your exhibition Whose Fault, 

which you are currently finishing off, come from? From 

memories or maybe from a sense of mission? 

The exhibition is a result of my thoughts that stem from 

my childhood, but it is also the effect of my scientific 

work. I have worked through tons of literature, I have 


„T he mind of an artist 

is similar to the mind of a serial killer” 

Denny Devos 

analysed the biographies of different killers, also 

the serial ones, focusing on their childhood. I have 

read the opinions of multiple experts: psychologists, 

psychiatrists, criminologists, profilers. I have seen 

plenty of documentaries presenting “true crime”. The 

knowledge that I gained during my studies allowed me to 

use it in practice and to prepare for the difficult subject 

of my exhibition. I have watched almost every available 

movie and series on crime! When I became a criminology 

student, even during my first year, I was sure I was going 

to make this exhibition. I wanted it to be the crowning 

of my studies. The most important part for me was its 

educational side. 

Are you more focused on the victim or the mechanism 

leading to the crime? 

On the conditions. On the mechanism. The victim is 

always the result of the crime. The victim of a serial killer 

is not only an individual, it can also be a community. The 

fear changes the customs. In many cases, if a serial killer 

appears in a certain area, the people living there are afraid 

to leave their homes, they lose trust in strangers and even 

in one another. They fortify in their houses, and the serial 

killers remain active. The answer that I am trying to find 

is: why? 

“The difference between people who despite their 

disorders become brave, and people who use their 

abilities in criminal activity, is that they have been 

raised differently.” Park Dietz 

“The idea of a victim-to-oppressor trope allows to 

understand both the societal dysfunctions and its 

relation to crime” Jadwiga Mazur 

During my criminology studies, I never thought that I 

would become a mother. Suddenly I was pregnant. I didn’t 

know how I would be influenced by maternity. When I 

gave birth to my daughter, I began to gain more and more 

interest in how the rising of a child influences their ability 

to become a killer. Being an artist, I want to show the 

scheme of a family. The process of victimization during 

childhood and its long-term effects: the lack of trust, 

depression, the feeling of danger, little self-confidence, 

low social skills, or aggression can influence the victim 

and thus make them an oppressor. 

How did you come up with the idea to embroider crime 

scenes and to form the characters in three-dimensional 

print? 

I have always seen the criminal’s mind as similarly fragile 

to embroidery. At first, I was sure that I will embroider 

the portraits of the serial killers using lunéville, my 

area of expertise. However, as soon as I started gaining 

knowledge on this subject, I decided to show it in a 

completely different way. The portraits are not important, 

it is us the people, who take care of the children, not only 

the parents but also orphanages, foster families, relatives 

– we are all responsible for the psyche and raising of a 

child. Some people love while some harass their children. 

The latter should never be the guardians. 

I decided I will not show the lone portraits of a killer, I will 

show the moment at which unconsciously they became 

one. Embroidery is my way of expression so I started 

thinking about how I can incorporate it into my idea. I 

asked my friends to act as the models for the crimes and 

then I had to somehow make it a part of the exhibition. 

What helped me was modern technology. The scenes 

were played out in the office of Wolf 3D Studio, then 

scanned. We had to immobilize the models and adapt 

them to the conditions of scanning. The whole process 

took about six months. Finally, the scans were transferred 

to the printer and then created in a three-dimensional 

form. Now, how could I add my embroidery to it? The 

ground of every crime scene is incredibly important. 

Where the body is found, forensic specialists need to 

secure the evidence, which directs the investigation – 

that was the lacking element of my work – I saw that the 

place for embroidery was on the ground of a scene. The 

installation was made using different types of embroidery 

that I have gained throughout my years of experience. 

That, combined with the modern technology of 3D 

printing, allowed for realistic possibilities. The ground of 

a crime holds the evidence, sometimes the victim’s body 

doesn’t have them. 


69

foto: Dominik Hajder 

You closed the crime scenes in cages… 

A cage is a symbol of enslavement, especially when a child 

is raised in one home with an executioner. Then a cage 

becomes the metaphor for punishment of the crime. All 

identified serial killers were given life sentences and/or 

sentenced to death. It can symbolize mental enslavement. 

My collection was presented in 9 vintage cages for birds 

and one over 100-year-old dollhouse. Every criminal got 

their cage. It is a scene in which we play out the criminal 

act. The act, which is the last stage of the violence that 

started during childhood at the hands of the closest ones. 

I can imagine that it was time-consuming and laborious 

to create this project. Alicja, how do you work with 

embroidery? 

I can be invested in the work for eight, ten hours, after 

four I realise that I have been sitting in complete silence, 

it seems impossible that so much time has passed. My 

work requires full concentration. 

How long does it take you to work on an exhibition? 

The gathering of materials, literature, documents, 

analysis, meetings with different experts, and then the 

creative process? 


To be honest, I have been invested in the topic of 

psychopath’s minds for twelve years! I analyse, break it 

into small parts, ask questions, find details. I have been 

working on this exhibition for two years, but I think that 

it will take me at least six more months to finalise this 

project. My studies, which prepared my scientific and 

professional background, lasted five years. I’ve been 

planning to show the first exhibition in April 2021 but 

considering the rapidly changing pandemic, it might be 

impossible. 

In how many countries are you planning on showing it? 

In ten. It might turn out that I will have more opportunities, 

I have some new propositions, but it all depends on the 

external factors. 

So, it is also symbolic – ten places, ten serial killers 1 , ten 

crime scenes, one common theme: the upbringing and 

childhood. How is the violence born? 

I focused on the cruellest crimes that I’ve analysed, which 

resulted in ten symbolic scenes. There are people who 

torture new-borns, in most cases the babies do not 

1 Richard Kuklinski, Charles Manson, Alieen Wuornos, Ted Bundy, 

John Wayne Gacy, Richard Speck, Dennis Rader, Andrei Chikatilo, 

Edmund Kemper, Jurgen Bartsch.

survive. The ones that do, often continue to experience 

violence. Sometimes parents die tragically e.g., in a 

car accident, children end up in orphanages and foster 

families, or sometimes with random people who are 

completely uninterested in their upbringing. Among the 

ones that I finally show as the aggressors, nine out of 

ten have experienced victimisation in their own families. 

Charles Manson was sold by his mother to prostitutes, 

and then he was raised by different care centres and foster 

families. In the information that I have gathered, I found 

a common element – it was there that he experienced 

the greatest harm. There are sources that describe the 

situations in orphanages – many of their cruel practices 

came to light after years. Most well-known were the cases 

of children from Ireland, Belgium, and the United States 

of America, some also came from Poland. Currently, I 

am reading a book written by a Polish woman living in 

Canada about cases of extreme cruelty. 2 I need to take 

2 Joanna Gierak-Onoszko: “27 śmierci Toby'ego Obeda” 

breaks from reading – its content is paralysing. The book 

describes the children, the grown-ups that have been 

through a long-term violence from the hands of the de 

facto national institutions. The survivors of “care” centres 

in Canada can be seen as similar to the survivors of the 

Holocaust. 

Whose fault is it? The abused children do not understand 

why they are being harmed by their guardians. Often, 

they see themselves as guilty of it, they protect their 

oppressors. 

A mother becomes one with the child to which she gives 

birth. If a child experiences abuse, they lose their sense 

of safety. And still they love and protect their oppressor. 

Often the children living in orphanages, despite their 

tragic experiences, still await their patents. They miss 

them and feel responsible for what has happened. The 

problem arises when they become adults. In the future 

children like these will focus on themselves, they will fight 

only for themselves. Patrick Diaz, my guru, an American 

foto: Dominik Hajder 

POST SCRIPTUM 71 71

I have always seen 

the criminal’s mind 

as similarly fragile 

to embroidery. 

Kidneys, embroidery 

Liver, embroidery 

psychiatrist who works with FBI and CIA, sums it up 

shortly: “a person, broken as a child, no longer thinks 

about another being as an adult.” 

Can the evil really be unnoticed for years? Often, only 

after the crime happens, the neighbours learn that 

the victim was so close to them, no one figured it out, 

no one said anything. Who should educate the people? 

Is it the role of artists – the most sensible individuals 

in our society? 

This is a very important question – as an artist I have 

addressed several institutions in Poland asking for help in 

organising the exhibition, however, I received no support. 

I also did not receive any reasonable arguments for not 

helping me. I do not know if the representatives to whom 

I talked were scared by the burden that the subject of 

serial killers carries, or rather, as I was informed in one 

of the emails: “this subject is not the key to judge if 

someone becomes a bad person”. I feel as if they told me 

that this topic is not real. The United States introduced 

profiling based on cooperation of therapists, psychiatrists, 

criminologists, the police, special services, in which they 

not only seek for the criminal, but also for their motives and 

conditioning they experienced in their childhood which 

led them to become the “criminal”. I have asked experts 

on their opinion on my exhibition. On multiple occasions, 

I have heard: “you are born a serial killer, a psychopath”. 

No one is born as pure evil. Often paedophiles are raped 

when they are little. The victim becomes the aggressor. 

I had the chance to talk to a foundation which protects 

children from domestic violence. There was an idea to 

create workshops for parents and teachers that would 

spread awareness on the initial symptoms of domestic 

violence. The foundation was to support this project with 

their own experts. A few days ago, I received a message 

that they will not engage in my project because this 

subject is not really related to their area of expertise, 

which does not involve art. What else is a better mission 

of education other than art? It is unbelievable that even 

the NGOs concerned with human rights did not decide 

to help me. Paradoxically the answers were similar – we 

do not touch upon violence. To whom then, should a 

child, a human being experiencing violence, talk to? For a 

change, when I was sharing my project with a well-known 

French criminologist, a professor from Sorbonne, the 

answer came back immediately. The exhibition took long 

to come together. However, thanks to my stubbornness, 

and the importance of the topic, and the good people 

that I have encountered, the project is slowly but surely 

coming to an end. 

It is apprehending that the legitimisation of violence 

and the violation of human rights appears in everyday 

life. Maybe that is why artists are being blocked. Or 

maybe people are afraid to talk about difficult subjects. 

As a mother I have taken part in female forums 

concerning the upbringing of children and family. I was 

terrified to learn about the social acceptance of physical 

punishment, of screaming, of emotional manipulation. 

Very often spanking done on the bare bottoms of a young 

girl by a father can influence her perception of sexuality 

and maturity in her future relationships. Giving allowance 

to violence, especially the lack of any reaction results in 

its propagation. 

We are facing difficult times. Data shows that domestic 

violence has grown considerably during lockdown. 

This is terrifying. I think that after the lockdown concerning 

the pandemic and violence, which happens behind closed 

doors, it will take several years for a wave of people with 

psychopathic predispositions to appear. The imposed 

change of lifestyle, lockdown with the oppressor can 


Details 

photo: Damian Andrzejewski 

cause the appearance of domestic violence, which wasn’t 

even there to begin with. 

How, at the end of the day, you were able to get in touch 

with experts, psychologists, criminologists for them to 

support your project with their knowledge? 

I started addressing them as a criminologist, and therefore 

as an expert myself, not only as an artist. I did not get this 

degree to try and find criminals, I needed the knowledge 

to protect human rights. It has opened a lot of doors 

for me. Together, with my newly formed team, we are 

developing extensive educational materials. I wouldn’t be 

able to do it by myself as I don’t have the psychological, 

psychiatric, or pedagogical knowledge. I needed experts 

in these fields. I can share some secret with you – I am in 

contact with one of the most well-known specialists on 

the psyche of serial killers in the world. I would like to give 

the people the courage to act when they see violence, 

I want them to feel and identify the symptoms. 

Are you opening the Pandora box? 

I realized that for a lot of adults, that have experienced 

this kind of violence, this exhibition will be a key to 

understanding the reasons behind evil. It will open them 

up. It will allow them to understand what the mechanism 

behind the evil is. The children are innocent. I decided 

that it would be too traumatic to only come back to the 

memories. That’s where the idea of creating a supportive 

group of experts came from: their help, the material we 

prepare in every country in which we will present the 

exhibition, giving the resources on where to seek help, 

where their questions can be answered, are all crucial. 

Alicja, for whom is this exhibition? 

For future and current parents. For sensitive people, for 

the ones that have experienced violence, for the ones 

who are afraid of it. For the people that are indifferent 

to evil. For the ones who are curious in what ways art can 

express a topic as difficult as this one. The audience which 

wants the thrills because they have watched too much 

true crime on Netflix, won’t find what they are looking 

for. Technically the exhibition is only for of-age viewers. 

I want to stress this: its main aim is to educate every 

single citizen of the world, of every belief. This exhibition 

is a tribute to the experts who explore the minds to 

prevent such tragedies. It’s a bow for every member 

o f se r v ic e s that are burde ne d by the ir re spo nsibilitie s. 

It is also a thank you to all of my teachers. 

What do you see through your magnifying glass? 

Human harm. Fault. Whose? Let’s be vigilant. 

You have said some beautiful words – this exhibition 

is a promise that you have made to your daughter. 

Can you comment on that? 

I have promised my daughter that I will do everything 

in my power for her to have a beautiful childhood, 

development, knowledge and that I will fight for the same 

for other children. 

What next, can you tell us? 

Traveling with the exhibition will take around two years. 

But I am already working on a new idea. Next challenge. 

Next education. “Paedophilia present in the media.” [KBS] 


73

Arco van Ieperen 

Arco van Ieperen was born in Gouda, the 

Netherlands, but has lived and worked 

in Poland for over two decades. As a 

lecturer at the State University of Applied 

Sciences in Elblag, he teaches general and 

business English, business correspondence, 

marketing and economics. He writes poetry 

in Dutch, English and Polish, has received a 

number of awards for his Dutch and Polish 

poetry and has been published in various 

magazines and anthologies. He is a member 

of the Alternative Elblag Literary Club and 

the Alternative Society, which organizes 

the annual “Wielorzecze” literary festival in 

Elblag. He is currently working on a volume 

of poetry in Polish. 


Hiccup 

Stutthof 

in sunny thunder 

through the gate of death 

seven decades later 

shadows digging graves 

folds in a field of forget-me-nots 

embraced by barbed wire 

numbered stars 

bathing in sweat and ignorance 

arbeit macht frei 

all saw the blue sky again 

at the end of the chimney 

Downtown pub 

A blue haze surrounds the lights, 

letting loose the beasts only the dark 

will tolerate. Minds are muddled, 

depressions drowned, as time 

is reduced to a single dot, the world 

a small room. 

Sounds soothe like a soft blanket, 

wrapping a careless concoction 

of searching souls on a quest 

to quell their fears. Feelings 

forever left unspoken, lost 

in a labyrinth of obscuring language. 

The world’s a mirage of unsolved mysteries 

and the greatest are to be found 

deep inside ourselves. 

The lingering kiss on the doorstep 

still chills my spine. Leaving feels 

like stepping into a moving prison, caught 

between white lines, a stranger’s 

reflection in the mirror. 

My temporary abode welcomes me 

like an ill-fitting straightjacket, 

the oppressive walls chasing me 

out to explore ancient desires. 

I study humanity at night, lazily 

drifting like flotsam with one 

tasty specimen demanding 

further inquiry. The room 

a cave inciting excitement. 

Long lost rituals revived, 

an ecstasy as durable 

as the parting cigarette. 

The flickering streetlight guides 

the high-heeled echoes of a sinful 

sidestep. Denial sets in. 

It’s just a minor hiccup, bound 

to disappear if I only hold 

my breath. 

On the line 

My private shame washed 

in a public lavatory where all 

is on display. My life reduced 

to ridiculous clips and sound bites, 

served in five-minute portions 

to a hungrily awaiting world, 

to be devoured and regurgitated. 

Too well-bred to lower myself 

to the gutter, I feel I’m slowly 

being choked by embarrassment 

and a lump of pride too big 

to be swallowed. 


75

Izolda Kiec about Ginczanka 

Aleksander Rafałowski, Portrait of Zuzanna Ginczanka, 1937 

(National Museum in Warsaw; free domain) 

„and behind 

me, a streak 

of raw poems 

mark my trace”, 

ABOUT ZUZANNA GINCZANKA 

She has been known as a legend of the 

Warsaw bohemia in the interwar period. 

As an exotic beauty who brought the 

bored capital of Poland to its knees in the 

mid-1930s. Men competed for just one 

walk in the company of this pretty young 

lady and women talked about her with 

a sneer. Jan Kott wrote many years after 

the war: “She had one eye so black that 

the iris seemed to obscure the pupil, and 

the other was brown with golden spots. 

Everyone admired her poems, in which 

something Persian was revealed, just like 

her beauty”. 

Over the years, she was present almost 

exclusively in the memories of Polish 

writers and poets, including the most 

outstanding ones: Julian Tuwim, who 

was considered her promoter, Witold 

Gombrowicz, attracted to her mysterious 

personality, Józef Łobodowski, who 

tried to attribute to himself the merits 

of commemorating this contemporary 

Shulamite. 

Who was she really? A nineteen-year-old 

who, in her debut – the only volume of her 

poems included this one – Otherness: 

Look: 

a purple troubadour announces a festival with piped 

cries – 

merchants distribute scarlet and ointments with 

heaped spoons 

on stilts of glass sopranos singing ladies sway and 

swoon – 

dancers jangle torsos and the jewels of their thighs – 

– And you bore yourself 

traipsing 

the same streets 

every day, 

and in your health is death’s malaise 

like a needle in the veins. 

Joy flows, 

though nowhere near, 

in a pink ship of stealth, 

down a far-off, alien river 

of ultramarine and clay. 

They’ll talk about your grief: ‘’flatfooted, sorry, 

stunted’’ 

They’ll talk about your sorrow: ‘’as bland as you 

please’’. 

No verses of line fabrics, 

nor any odes abundant 

will remind them 

who you were 

far beyond the seven seas. 


MY LITTLE TOWN 

Zuzanna Polina Gincburg was born on March 

9, 1917 in Kiev. Probably at the end of that year, 

her parents – Cecylia (nee Sandberg) and Szymon – 

decided to move to Równe Wołyński, where Chaja and 

Abram Sandberg resided. And it was them, Gincburg’s 

grandparents, who raised the girl when her father 

left for Berlin, and her mother made a new life for 

herself. (A few years before the outbreak of World 

War II, Cecylia married the Czech brewer Walter Roth, 

with whom she emigrated to Spain). 

The Sandbergs lived on the main street of the 

city – 3 Maja 132, in a magnificent brick house, one 

of the very few there. Its ground floor was occupied 

by a pharmacy owned by her grandmother – 

a shop where you could buy literally everything, from 

medicines to cinema tickets. Sanka – as Zuzanna was 

called at home – had a special task assigned by Chaja. 

As Kazimierz Brandys recalled: “before every Christmas, 

she decorated the display of her grandmother’s shop 

dressed like an angel. She would kneel in a white dress 

with wings, a silver band on her forehead, or maybe 

gold, and white shoes’’. 


GRAMMARS 

(– and to relish words is such joy, 

To cherish, to sip them like wine – 

To hold, to lift them up, to view in a light divine). 

Adjectives stretch like cats 

Cats are meant to be cuddled, oh, so, 

Soft cats cosy and warm purr poetry andante, 

maestoso, 

Cats with eyes that spring forth lakes, 

Emerald pools deep enough to drown, 

Dreamily, I stare into their pupils 

Green and blue reflected deep down. 

This is the shape and the form, 

This content of indispensable renown, 

The firmness of the essence of things, 

Matter made manifest as a noun. 

And the stillness it is of the world 

And calm, and still and at rest, 

A thing that lasts, still and is, 

The world into flesh compressed. 

Here are simple tables and hard wooden benches, 

Here is gentle dew and summer rain that drenches, 

Here is a red church with its heaven-bound dart, 

And a veiny, pulsating, simple old human heart. 

It wasn’t an Orthodox Jews’ household. Chaja 

was – as we would say today – a modern philanthropist 

and activist of Jewish women’s organizations. No wonder 

that she carefully educated her granddaughter, who 

attended the French kindergarten of Madame Sauvage, 

took music and drawing lessons, and subscribed to 

Lviv and Warsaw literary magazines. Finally – Gincburg 

became a student at the best high school in Równe – 

the Polish State Junior High School named after Tadeusz 

Kościuszko. It must have been a real challenge for 

a girl raised in a home where only Russian was spoken. 

Zuzanna learned the Polish language herself. What’s 

more – as a student of the 5b class, she made her debut 

as a poet by publishing a poem called A holiday feast. 

Her poems officially announced in the school magazine 

concerned the reality of the school, lessons, and 

readings. They show an extraordinary talent and reveal 

a unique poetic imagination. 

In 1934, Zuzanna took part in the “Literary 

News” Young Poets Competition; it is said that at 

the instigation of Tuwim himself, as it was probably 

Sanka’s mother who had previously sent him several 

poems for evaluation. The debuting poet received 

a distinction for the poem Grammar, in which her 

interest in language was revealed – sensual and 

conscious, announcing a creator aware of her craft. 

No wonder that immediately after graduating from high 

school, Zuzanna – as Ginczanka – moved to Warsaw ... 

Right in the heart 

of the Capital’s downtown 

As Tuwim’s favourite, young Zuzanna would 

visit the first floor café of Mała Ziemiańska on 

Mazowiecka street, accompanied by Scamanders 

(a Polish group of experimental poets founded in 

1918 by Julian Tuwim, Antoni Słonimski, Jarosław 

Iwaszkiewicz, Kazimierz Wierzyński and Jan Lechoń). 

She published mainly in Skamander, and in 1936 she 

published the volume About Centaurs, which, although 

did not arouse much criticism, began building her 

legacy at Warsaw salons. The reviews that appeared in 

the press after the publication of Ginczanka’s collection 

of poems show that the author’s craftsmanship was 

appreciated and that the difference and individuality 

of this poetry was noticed. And it looks like the 

elements that we value and admire today in her poetry, 

were a problem to the critics at the time. A problem 

they couldn’t quite deal with. So, they patronized 

or discredited her. 


77

Zuzanna Ginczanka, Anna Nogid (Zuzanna’s aunt), Maria Zenowicz, (wife of K.Brandys). Równe 1938 (owned by I. Kiec) 


artists gathered around Witold Gombrowicz, 

meeting at the “Zodiak” cafe. This group 

included: Stanisław Piętak, Kazimierz Brandys, 

Stefan Otwinowski, Giza Ważykowa – a group 

of followers of the philosophy of “Mr. Witold”, 

accepting specific “table” forms and rules. 

Perhaps the reality created by this eccentric 

and weirdo helped Ginczanka to forget about 

the hunt for her for a moment, to believe that 

thanks to literature, thanks to artistic creation 

– it is possible to survive. “I remember,” Witold 

Gombrowicz wrote to Stanisław Piętak after the 

war, “that, returning home from “Zodiac”, I was 

explaining to Gina, that for this upcoming war, 

one must have poison. And she laughed”... 

Perhaps, thanks to her acquaintance with 

Tuwim, Zuzanna found herself in the circle of young 

artists who, at the turn of 1935 and 1936, started 

publishing the satirical weekly Szpilki. The editorin-chief 

of the magazine was Zbigniew Mitzner, the 

most important illustrators being: Eryk Lipiński, 

Andrzej Siemaszko, Jerzy Zaruba, Henryk Tomaszewski, 

and well known poets: Światopełk Karpiński, Janusz 

Minkiewicz, Stanisław Jerzy Lec, Andrzej Nowicki, 

Edward Szymański. And amongst this male group 

of satirists, the one and only woman – Ginczanka. 

Apart from social jokes and scuffles, there were many 

moral issues revealed in her poetry, insightful social 

observations, but also many fears. It is known from 

recollections that Ginczanka was hit by anti-Semitic 

attacks more than once – at the University of Warsaw, 

where she studied education, and among suspicious 

writers and “gentlemen journalists” employed 

in tabloid magazines. The anonymous editors of the 

Warsaw newspaper “I Know Everything” published in 

February 1937, a disgusting text entitled Dear friend 

Gincburżanka! Don’t be… Ginczanka. 

Shortly before the outbreak of the war, 

Zuzanna probably felt best in the company of young 

I DIDN’T LEAVE AN 

HEIR HERE 

In June 1939, Zuzanna went on holiday 

to see her grandmother. She didn’t know that 

she’d never come back to Warsaw. At the 

beginning of 1940, she moved to Lviv, where 

she could be closer to the literary world, which 

she must have missed so much. In magazines 

published by the Association of Polish and 

Ukrainian Writers, she submitted her own 

poems and translations (including works by 

Lesia Ukrainka, Paweł Tyczyn, Włodzimierz 

Majakowski, among others). But she also made 

important decisions regarding her private life. 

She married Michał Weinzieher – lawyer by 

education, art critic by passion. Strange as it 

was, her decision to marry him allowed to save 

Grandma. Michał was well-known among Soviet 

dignitaries, and Zuzanna probably wanted to 

help her grandmother, who had been evacuated 

by the new authorities from her beautiful 

family home to an uncomfortable outbuilding. 

It worked, because right after the wedding of her 

granddaughter, Chaja returned to the apartment 

above the store. 

But it was not Michał Wienzieher 

who was Zusanna’s love at that time. Janusz 

Woźniakowski – a graphic designer, graduate 

of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow and 

activist of the communist underground – 

accompanied the poet in those most difficult 

and dramatic moments of her life. In Lviv, 

when, after the Nazi troops entered the city 



Book cover “O centaurach” Warszawa 1936) “School Echoes” – debut of Zuzanna Gincburżanka, Poetry of Ginczanka; Pub. Marginesy, Warszawa 

and after the creation of the ghetto, Ginczanka (now 

an Armenian named Marysia) was hiding in an apartment 

in a tenement house at 8a Jabłonowskich Street, 

and in Kraków, where they both died. 

The escape from Lviv to Krakow was forced 

by Zuzanna’s deteriorating situation. The former 

caretaker of the tenement house, where the poet 

lived – an anti-Semite and informant, Zofia Chominowa 

– reported several times to the Gestapo that a Jewish 

woman was hiding in her house. All Zuzanna’s friends 

were escaping, but she kept returning to the house 

closely watched by Chominowa. It was then that she 

wrote her last poem, referring to My Testament by Juliusz 

Słowacki, beginning with a phrase from Horace: 

Non omnis moriar – all my proud estate, 

Meadow table clothes, wardrobe castles strong, 

Swathes of table linen, homely treasures great, 

And dresses, light dresses – these are my swan song. 

Because I leave behind not a single heir, 

Let your curious hands through my Jew things browse, 

Ms Chomin of Lviv, my volksdeutscher betrayer, 

May they serve you well if conscience allows. 

And you, dear neighbours, recall my name and face 

As you remembered me when the Gestapo came, 

Minding to show them my hiding place, 

They noticed me then. Now, mind me again. 

Drink to my grave and supposed wealth: 

Fine drapes, candlesticks, my remains your prize: 

Goblets raise, friends, to your lasting health, 

Drink all night, drink! And when the sun does rise 

Start hunting for gemstones, digging for gold 

Through mattresses, sofas, furnishings what may 

The bounty you seek, the treasures you want hold 

As you go tearing into stuffed horsehair and hay. 

Feathers ripped from cushions, clouds of gutted quilts 

Will snow upon your hands, turn your arms to wings, 

Pure white down will bind my blood congealed 

Letting you take flight, my angels, my kings. 

Zuzanna and Janusz left Lviv when 

the information about her grandmother’s death reached 

them – Chaja Sandberg died of a heart attack on her way 

to the execution site in Zdołbunów or Sosenki. Nothing 

held Sanka there no longer. The most dramatic and final 

stage of the escape had begun. 

In Krakow, Zuzanna initially hid at Zyblikiewicza 

Street in the Güntner family’s apartment, where 

Wienzieher was already living under the assumed 

name of Danilewicz. She then moved to Wróblowice 

near Krakow and here at the beginning of 1944 she 

was informed about the arrest of Woźniakowski, which 

took place during an accidental round-up, or as a result 

of a provocation aimed at liquidating the communist 

underground in the capital of Małopolska. Zuzanna then 

returned to Kraków and found shelter with a friend, 

artist Elżbieta Mucharska, on Mikołajska Street. From 

here, in February 1944, the Gestapo captured Ginczanka 

and took her to the prison at Montelupich Street, and 

then at Czarnieckiego Street. She told the women 

staying with her in the cell that she had been handed 

over by the caretaker with whom she had conflict; 

because of her dress, or maybe some other, not very 

important ‘Jewish thing’ … 


79


Eryk Lipiński, Caricature of Zuzanna Ginczanka (owned by Izolda Kiec). 


After the war, Julian Tuwim wrote 

to Zbigniew Mitzner: “Every day I remember 

those who died, every day I sigh for them, 

especially for my poor friend Ginczanka ...” 

And Gombrowicz to Piętak: “Please, tell me 

when and how poor Gina died. Why are you 

saying that she was tortured? “ 

Jan Śpiewak, Kazimierz Wyka and Juliusz 

Wiktor Gomulicki started preparations for 

publishing selected poems by Zuzanna 

Ginczanka. Julian Przyboś published her last 

poem in Odrodzenie – which soon became 

evidence in the trial of Zofia Chominowa, 

an “informer”, accused of handing over 

Jews to the German police. However, 

the deliberations of the Szczecin Writers 

Convention in 1949 were not favourable 

for Zuzanna. She was called “Tuwim in 

a skirt”, a bourgeois poet, an epigone of 

the Scamandrites. It was decided to forget 

about her. And it was only in the 1990s that 

Zuzanna returned to our literature and the 

awareness of readers. All of Ginczanka’s 

works were published, including manuscripts 

saved by Eryk Lipiński, who liquidated 

Zuzanna’s Warsaw apartment in September 

1939. The poet’s monograph was published, 

and numerous artistic works inspired by her 

biography and poetry. 

The last traces of Zuzanna Ginczanka are 

her demands for food and clothing that she signed, 

sent from prison to the Polish Welfare Committee 

of Krakow-City. The last one dated April 18, 1944. There 

are many indications that the poet was moved in the 

last transport of prisoners from Krakow to the Płaszów 

camp and shot there on May 5, 1944. 

After the publication of the first 

selection of Ginczanka’s poetry in 1991, 

Wacław Oszajca said, not completing his 

thought: “without poetry, the life of this 

young girl ...” Let me finish the sentence: 

without poetry, the life of this young girl 

would not be remembered. Zuzanna 

Gincburg would be one of the millions, 

anonymous, deprived of a name, individual 

features or individual history, just a victim 

of genocide. Did she sense the drama of her 

own death and the power of her poetry in 

the beautiful yet tragic Bird’s glow, when 

she wrote: “and behind me, a streak of raw 

poems mark my trace”? [IK] 



Publisher. Marginesy, Warszawa 

Izolda Kiec; fot. A. Wykrota 

GINCZANKA 

NO ONE WILL GUARD ME 

Izolda Kiec 

Publisher. Instytut Kultury Popularnej, Poznań 

SZOSZANA 

MEANS INNOCENT 

Izolda Kiec - prof. dr hab. in the field 

of cultural studies; literary scholar 

and a theatrologist; president of the 

Popular Culture Institute Foundation, 

employed at the University of Arts in 

Poznań(at the Department of Curating and 

Art Theory). The author of articles and 

book monographs on literature and the 

theatre of the 20th century and forms 

of popular culture, including: Editor 

of the works of Zuzanna Ginczanka, 

Roman Tadeusz Wilkanowicz and Felicja 

Kruszewska. In 2015, awarded by 

the Minister of Culture with the 

“Meritorious for Polish Culture” badge. 

In 2016 and 2020, a scholarship holder 

of the Minister of Culture and National 

Heritage in the field of literature. In 

2017, she received a scholarship from 

the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Province 

in the field of Culture and protection of 

national heritage. 


81

MONIKA 

CICHOSZEWSKA 

www.monikacichoszewska.com 

Outdoor PAW Model: Kasia 

Black and white combined with chiaroscuro 

build an atmosphere of nostalgia, filled with 

emotions and mystery, peace or drama. 


Fotografuje wielkoformatowymi aparatami. innych, w których zajęła 4 pierwsze, 3 drugie 

i 3 trzecie miejsca oraz 15 Honorable 

Fascynuje ją praca w ciemni i procesy 

chemiczne, a w szczególności technika Mention: Tokyo i Moscow International Foto 

mokrego The artist kolodionu, takes pictures którą using wybrała large-format jako cameras. Fascinated Awards, by working Fine Art in Photography, a dark room, chemical Black&White processes 

medium 

and, in particular, 

przekazu 

the 

artystycznego. 

wet collodion technique, she has chosen 

Spider, 

this 

Monochrome, 

medium of artistic 

Neutral 

transmission. 

Density, 

The 

Art 

photographic 

reality is one created by her, associated with the unknown, resulting from the physical and chemical process 

of creating the 

Rzeczywistość fotograficzna 

photograph. Currently, 

jest rzeczywistością 

She consciously kreowaną and clearly przez refers nią, to połączoną 

nature, showing how Ambrotypy much we are prezentowała connected it, how na much wystawach we depend 

Cichoszewska 

Limited, 

is working 

Portret 

on projects 

Prawdziwy. 

called Desires and Coexistence. 

z niewiadomą on it. Nature irrevocably wynikającą imposes z procesu on us the rhythm of passing, indywidualnych as the consequences w Galerii of seasons, Strefa life Art cycles: the 

fizykochcemicznego time of birth, adolescence, powstania love, maturity, zdjęcia. and death. w Żorach oraz Oko we Wrocławiu. 

Realizuje obecnie cykle zatytułowane: „Pragnienia”, 

took 4 ”Współistnienie”. first places, 3 second W and swojej 3 third twórczości 

places as well as między 15 Honorable innymi: Mentions: „Korzenie” Tokyo and w Moscow Centralne Interna- 

Oko, 

Brała udział w wystawach kolektywnych 

Monika Cichoszewska is a winner of the international photo contest DEBUTS 2017 and many others, in which she 

świadomie tional Photo i wyraźnie Awards, Fine nawiązuje Art Photography, do natury, Black&White Poznań, Spider, Monochrome, w Muzeum Neutral Fotografii Density, Art Limited, Real 

pokazując Portrait. odbiorcy jak silnie jesteśmy 

w Bydgoszczy, Festiwal Fotografii Tradycyjnej, 

Zabrze, BWA Kielce. 

z nią związani, jak bardzo zależymy od niej. 

She presented her ambrotypes at individual exhibitions in the “Art Zone Gallery” in Żory and “Eye” in Wroclaw. 

Natura nieodwracalnie narzuca nam rytm Jej prace zostały ostatnio wybrane 

The artist took part in collective exhibitions, including “Roots” in the “Centralne Oko” in Poznan, the Museum of 

przemijania, Photography jako in Bydgoszcz, następstw the Festival pór roku, of Traditional cykli Photography, i prezentowane Zabrze, BWA w Kielce. wystawach Her work „Light was recently Sensitive” 

at the Intersection Galeria Art Gallery, Intersection, Gilbert, USA, Gilbert, “Living Image”. USA, 

selected 

czasu and presented narodzin, at the dojrzewania, exhibitions “Light miłości, Sensitive” życia: 

dojrzałości Halide Project i śmierci. Gallery, Philadelphia, USA, 13 JMC Women „ Photographers, Living Image”. Nostrum Galeria Photo Halide Gallery, Project, Barcelona. 

Laureatka międzynarodowego konkursu Philadelphia USA, 13 JMC Women Photographers, 

Galeria Foto Nostrum, fotograficznego DEBUTS 2017 oraz wielu 

Barcelona. 

Julka 

I remember times when taking photos required skills 

and equipment (including darkroom kits). Now anyone 

can take a shot, even with the phone, there are 

more opportunities for example, with digital editing. 

Is photography finished as an art form, or is the 

opposite? 

Are we really still questioning if photography is art? 

My favourite artist and photographer Zdzislaw Beksiński 

once wrote in a letter to a friend, another photographer 

Jerzy Lewczynski: “photography, as such, cannot be art, 

and this lies in its very essence. The whole attempt of 

taking an artistic photo is a contradiction and it’s the 

biggest nonsense you can imagine. Remember what 

I’m going to tell you Jurek because today I’m under 

influence of alcohol and in a seer mood. Photography 

is not art! Puffery! Shit! Sham! Bye!” You could agree 

with this, but sometimes I subjectively feel that some 

photos can qualify for the title of art if they engage, 

evoke emotions, provided that they do not reflect 

reality. Perhaps, thanks to computer manipulation, 

photography is now even closer to art. Everyone should 

find the answer to this question within themselves. 

Dedicated to the forest; Model: Agnieszka Surdej; outdoor PAW 

What camera and what lenses do you shoot with? 

I use XIX century technique and take pictures using glass 

plates. I have an old Kodak View Camera large format 

cameras 6 1/2” x 8 1/2” (about 16.5 cm x 21.5 cm) and 

originating from the GDR: Mentor Panorama 18cmx 

24cm, Głobica 18cmx 24cm lenses 250, 300, 360 Tessar 

and Graflex camera 4 x 5 “ Aero Ektar lens, 210 Tessar. 

I used to take black-and-white photos because in 

the past the colour was difficult to achieve (different 

magnifiers, different photographic film, different photo 

chemicals). And now, when technology allows you to 

show colours without any restrictions, photographers 

are running away from colour. How did you develop 

your passion for black-and-white photography? 

Let me explain that ambrotype imposes 

monochromatism because the image on the glass forms 

a metallic silver, and unexposed parts of a picture are 

transparent, meaning they become black. Despite the 

fact that these are quite contrasting photos, they are 


83

very beautiful and glowing when you look at them. 

This happens due to the shimmering silver and 

three-dimensionality created by the base material 

of glass. It is the appearance of the original and its 

reality that attracts me in this technique. 

Black and white combined with chiaroscuro, 

in my opinion, most successfully create the 

atmosphere of nostalgia, imbued with emotions 

and mystery, calmness or drama. Black-and-white 

photography does not correctly convey the reality 

that we perceive with our eyes in colour, thereby 

manipulating it, often introducing an element of 

visual uncertainty that can puzzle the recipient 

and encourage them to stay with it longer. 

You have taken many beautiful, sensual, painfully 

real, almost stripped photos. For me, nudity is 

beautiful, pure, and natural. A naked woman 

is the quintessence of beauty, the embodiment 

of the beauty of nature. What do you think? How do 

you use this (sorry for the term) ‘’tool’’ – the naked 

body of a model? 

Beautifully said: “the embodiment of the beauty of 

nature.” That is exactly what nudity is. My female 

nudes lack the erotic elements. Nudity does not absorb 

all the viewer’s attention. It is only a way to show 

expressions, a way to show relationships, emotions, and 

our coexistence with nature. I want these images to be 

poetic, so that they penetrate deeper into our inner 

world, so that the recipients can find in them a part 

of themselves, especially that meditative part. 

Sometimes I watch shows about famous 

photographers. And it always surprises me that 

the photo scene is usually put together beforehand, 

a model is arranged against a pre-prepared 

background. All the photographer needs to do is to 

press the button. I admit that this amuses me. 

David predator - Model: David Hemke, Make-up: Ewelina Łośko 

84 


Feelings, 

Outdoor @plener_lody 

Models @anna_urbanska201anson @aadaa_l 

an emanation 

of the wonders of nature 

@Outdoor_lodyModel: Yulia 

POST SCRIPTUM 85 

85

The picture is born in ahead. It needs to be created, 

felt, and composed. A child from kindergarten can 

click the button. How are your photos created? 

Do you see them before they come into being? 

I agree. It doesn’t discredit digital photography, but 

for me, processing a large number of photos, making 

countless decisions in the post-production stage, is an 

endless struggle with oneself. Traditional photography 

forces a different approach, forces thoughtful shots at 

the stage of creating a photo and limits the number 

of photos taken. To explain my approach to working 

on a photo closer, I put that in stages: 

The first stage is the search for aesthetic experiences, 

inspirational motifs previously imagined or already 

existing somewhere. Most often it is a forest, river, 

meadow, trees, branches or an industrial constituent, 

a search for a background to take a photo of a person. 

The second stage is looking through the camera’s 

matte matrix (the matte matrix is frosted glass: 16 x21, 

5 cm or, for example, 18x24cm. The opaque coating 

allows you to view the image. To set the focus we 

often use magnifying glasses with x10 magnification 

search for composition, selecting elements and their 

proportions, and placing the subject among them. 

You need to assess the need for perspective correction 

(required in architecture photography) or purposefully 

changing perspective and focus if this is the desired 

result. Using a wide-format camera is very interesting 

since the picture of reality captured on the focusing 

screen is “upside-down” and it’s a mirror image of 

the world and it’s incredibly beautiful. This image for 

me is subjectively final. To capture it, I record it on 

a light-sensitive material, collodion plate, as due to 

its specificity, brings me closest to the original image 

viewed on the focusing screen. 

The next stage is the preparation of light-sensitive 

material in a manual chemical process (it takes place 

in a portable photo lab, most often it is a special tent). 

Accompanied by the smell of ether, I pour iodized 

Helium over the transparent glass followed by a bath 

of silver nitrate. After 3-4 minutes, the emulsion 

becomes light-sensitive, and you can put the plate 

in the cartridge. 

The last stage involves exposing the image: waiting 

or the right moment, the soft light falling at the set 

and the model (often it all changes mischievously, 

when I arrive with the sensitized plate at the set) 

correcting the position of the person’s body, their gaze 

and getting the focus right before manually opening 

and closing the lens, measuring passing seconds out 

loud. 

The next magical stage of the image preserving 

process pojawiam can się also z uczuloną involve the kasetą person na observing planie), skorygowaniu 

the 

slow 

ułożenia 

disclosure 

ciała fotografowanej 

of her image in 

osoby 

the photo. 

i jej spojrzenia 

This is 

oraz 

emotional. It takes from 30 minutes to 1 hour to 

produce 

ustawieniu 

a single 

ostrości, 

image. 

a następnie 

Each time, 

na 

the 

manualnym 

end result 

otwarciu 

is 

burdened i zamknięciu by some obiektywu, degree mierząc of the unknown. sekundy na When głos. 

it Emulsja is disappointing, kolodionowa you jest need bardzo to repeat mało the światłoczuła, shot. The 

resulting co w efekcie effect powoduje is influenced długi by czas both naświetlania the work of - the od 

photographer, kliku do kilkunastu the model, sekund. the Najdłuższy weather conditions, czas, w jakim 

and chemical processes that occur during the 

wykonałam zdjęcie z modelem, to 5 min 30 sek. Od 

whole process. In that way, the implementation 

of momentu the project włożenia acquires płyty a subjectively do kasety nieubłaganie multiplied biegnie 

artistic czas, który value oddala as well możliwość as personal wywołania and emotional obrazu utajonego. 

W zależności since od each temperatury photo is otoczenia, a one-off, jest to od 10 

consequences, 

impossible min do maksymalnie to repeat. This 20-30 is what min. attracted me to 

this 

W kolejnym 

technique 

magicznym 

as well as the 

procesie 

fact that 

utrwalenia 

it is an instant 

może 

process. 

uczestniczyć również fotografowana osoba, obserwując 

I powolne have this ujawnianie idea in my się head: jej wizerunku a project named: 

zdjęciu, 

“Poland a towarzyszą in one temu picture”. emocje. To show Na wykonanie Polishness jednego 

in zdjęcia just one należy frame. poświęcić Would od it be 30 a min religious do 1 godziny. 

procession? 

Rezultat końcowy, 

Session 

za 

in 

każdym 

the parliament? 

razem obarczony 

Maybe 

jest 

a 

demonstration? The picture is not clear yet. What 

would 

pewną 

you 

dozą 

see 

niewiadomej. 

in a photo like 

Kiedy 

that? 

jest on niezadawalający, 

trzeba powtórzyć zdjęcie. Na uzyskany efekt składają się 

I bowiem don’t think zarówno I could działania show such fotografa, an extremely fotografowanej diverse 

society osoby, in warunki the 1st termiczne, photo. It’s jak an interesting i procesy chemiczne question 

– it would be a challenge, but rather for a carefully 

zachodzące w jego trakcie. Realizacja projektu zyskuje 

thought through series. There are too many black 

and w ten white sposób aspects subiektywnie to clearly define zwielokrotnioną who we are. wartość 

artystyczną oraz implikacje osobiste i emocjonalne, gdyż 

każde zdjęcie jest jednostkowe, niemożliwe do powtórzenia. 

To właśnie ujęło mnie przy wyborze tej techniki oraz 

to, że jest to proces natychmiastowy. 

Kiedyś myślałem o takim projekcie: “Polska w jednym 

zdjęciu”. Pokazać polskość w jednym kadrze. Czy byłaby 

to religijna procesja? Obrady w Sejmie? A może jakaś 

demonstracja? Jeszcze się ze sobą wewnętrznie nie 

pogodziłem. Co Ty widziałabyś na takim zdjęciu? 

Chyba nie umiałabym w 1 zdjęciu pokazać tak zróżnicowanego 

skrajnie społeczeństwa. 

Ciekawe pytanie-wyzwanie, ale raczej na przemyślaną 

serię. Jest zbyt wiele aspektów, czarno-białych, by jednoznacznie 

określić jacy jesteśmy. 

The collodion emulsion is very little light-sensitive, 

which leads to a long irradiation time from a few 

to a dozen seconds. The longest time it took me to 

take a photo with a model is 5 min 30 sec. Time runs 

inexorably from the moment the plate is inserted into 

the cassette, which delays the possibility of conjuring 

the hidden image. Depending on the temperature, it 

takes from 10 minutes to a maximum 20-30 minutes. 


Faint breath of the wind, Model Yulia, Chorwackie plenery

What does Monika Cichoszewska like to do when she’s 

not holding a camera? 

My absolute dream come true was when I was flying 

as a licensed glider pilot. For example, in the Croatian 

thermal streams at an altitude of 950 m above sea level. 

I still really miss the space and adrenaline. I have also 

passed a diving PADI exam. I have dived in extremely 

difficult conditions in Poland, but also in the magnificent 

coral Ko Tao and in Israel with dolphins – a magical 

experience! Diving, however, for me is about overcoming 

my own phobias. Currently, I devote myself entirely to 

photography, my development in this field, attending 

gatherings, meeting people like me with a photographic 

passion. I love jazz. I love to travel, and I organize it 

myself. Most of all I am attracted to Japan – been there 

4 times, but the place still excites me. [JP] 

THE AMBROTYPE (FROM ANCIENT GREEK: ἈΜΒΡΟΤΌΣ 

— “IMMORTAL”, AND ΤΎΠΟΣ — “IMPRESSION”) ALSO 

KNOWN AS COLLODION POSITIVE IN THE UK, IS A 

POSITIVE PHOTOGRAPH ON GLASS, MADE BY A VARI- 

ANT OF THE WET PLATE COLLODION PROCESS. LIKE A 

PRINT ON PAPER, IT IS VIEWED BY REFLECTED LIGHT. 

Emotional self-portrait 

Model @madlenn.model@plener_lodyModel @madlenn.model 

Kamila 

Models: Dawid Hemke i makijaż Ewelina Łośko @QueenAkashaMua, Agnieszka Surdej, @loreleyyulia, @ aadaa_l, @ madlenn.model, Plenery: @plenerywchorwacji, @plener_lody, @analogowywroclaw 


87

POETRY 

Recommended 

photo: Marek Truszkowski 

Agnieszka Herman 


Agnieszka Herman - Polish poetess, journalist, graphic 

designer. She published Wybuchło słońce (The Sun 

Exploded, Warsaw 1990), Zapisane światłem (Written by 

the light, Warsaw 1995) Jesienią najtrudniej iść środkiem 

dnia (The hardest thing is walking in the middle of the 

autumn day , Warsaw 2015), Punkt styczności (The crosscut 

point - poems collected in Bulgarian, 2018). Her poems 

have been published in many anthologies and magazines 

in Poland, Bułgaria, India, Turkey, Japan, Kingdom of 

Great Britain, Ukraine and USA. She participated in many 

polish and international literature festivals. Finalist of 

2020 Orpheus Poetry Award K.I. Gałczyński for her Late 

Styles book Tło (Background, Warsaw 2019). She won 

the readers’ and participants’ vote at the awards gala 

[Poetry Award K.I. Gałczyński 2020]. She cooperates with 

large publishing houses in Poland where she designs book 

covers. She is the author of cover designs, some of them 

international bestsellers. She is a member of the Polish 

Haiku Association.

Quarantine 

let the window and snow be the background. 

a poet stands against the barrel of the lens 

without a pose usually ready for such occasions. 

a suit button dangles on the last thread. 

we wait for a ray of sunshine. 

for contrast. for a glance, 

which will lead us somewhere. 

and then darkness appears. 

the poet rests his head on it. 

he closes his eyes. he is at home. 

In a black and white photograph 

you can breathe like before. 

Rivers flow, we used to jump into them. 

In the bend. It’s deeper there. 

Under a mountain covered in spruces. 

Where we were basking on the rocks, 

where we were building dams, 

where we were pulling out troutes with our hands, 

where we were skipping stones, 

where we were looking for glistening small fish, 

where we were singing and waiting. 

I miss you my river. I miss you bright day. 

translated by Anna Maria Mickiewicz 

translated by Kaja Herman 

“LATER” 

I am looking for a suitcase on the internet for “LATER”. 

Red one as courage that allows you to hit the road. 

I will start in the restaurant Honorata with father Tomasz. 

We will order a duck with beetroot and baked apple. 

I had my wedding there. It’s June. The shortest night of the year. 

A crowd of guests. Pheromones or perfume. 

Buzzing in the head. Lots of flowers. 

We leave some of them at the monument 

of the “Little Insurrectionist”. 

Helmet too big for a boy’s head. I will not give my child to war. 

I take a bath with freesias, roses, sunflowers. 

They are in the bedroom. On the balcony. On my dress. 

Our life smelled like a florist for a long time. 

Right “LATER” we will be ready. 

I will have a red suitcase. 

And the priest a wreath of flowers on the head. 

translated by Kaja Herman 

let a dream be the background 

I have a hat with a thousand butterflies. 

they are swarming overhead. 

they flutter with velvet wings. 

I smile at the reflection 

in the exhibition windows. 

people are passing by 

crossing to the other side 

because butterflies are black 

like death. 

translated by Anna Maria Mickiewicz 


89

POETRY 

IRINA 

KOVALYOVA 

RC 

Union of Translators of Russia, 

as well as the founder and the 

president of the international art 

festivals “Lanterna di Genova” 

in Italy and “Steppe Lira” in 

her homeland – in the stanitsa 

Novopokrovskaya. She is also 

the Goodwill ambassador from 

the city Camagna Monferrato 

(Piemonte, Italy). 

THAT’S WHY 

I know that’ll never die. 

Have nothing for death to pay. 

But like a star in the sky 

I’ll go another way. 

IRINA KOVALYOVA 

A modern Russian 

poet, translator, journalist. She 

was born in March 21, 1964 

in Southern of Russia – in the 

stanitsa (Cossack settlement) 

Novopokrovskaya, Krasnodar 

Region, in a family of doctors. 

She graduated from an English 

special school in Moscow, 

Pirogov`s Russian State 

Medical University with a 

degree in children’s neurology 

and the Literary university 

named after Maxim Gorky. 

Irina is a member of 

the Union of Russian Writers, 

the head of the literary 

translation section of the 


The winner of numerous 

national and international 

awards, including the Grand 

Prize of the International Literary 

Foundation named after Milan 

Füsht of the Hungarian Academy 

of Sciences and the International 

Russian Prize founded in Czech. 

The author of 10 books 

of poems: “The Fourth Troy”, 

“Caesarean section”, “Order 

of Hospitallers”, “Terra Italica”, 

“Country of dragonflies”, 

“Memory card”, “Ligurian Gulf”, 

“I’ll draw a large and ripe wave 

today”, “Gardens behind the 

heart”. Her poems are translated 

into English, Italian, Chinese, 

Hungarian, Slovak, Macedonian, 

Belorussian, Uzbek. 

Irina Kovalyova , s poetry 

belongs to a modern literary 

movement called “The realism of 

light”. 

Don’t ask me – it’s not OK! – 

To close my eyes and trust. 

This year, this month, this day, 

This minute could be my last. 

And so, my friend, that’s why 

To do all my best I try 

In order to see as much 

As possible and to touch, 

To hear, to learn, to feel, 

Don’t stay like the water still, 

To travel, to fly, to smell 

And all that remember tell. 

Don’t force after you to repeat. 

You’ll never succeed with it!

THE GRASSHOPPER 

Small insects shoot into the air, 

Leave minute bubbles on the water 

And dizzy with desire, they pair, 

An insect couple, a son, a daughter. 

I’ve sung the whole long lovely summer – 

And forty of them, not just one! – 

Like an enchanted, dazed newcomer, 

Like a grasshopper in the sun. 

I’ve danced myself, in little wings 

Made out of glitter-covered gauze. 

We seniors danced in, of all things, 

The morning show – to wild applause! 

My family came to nursery-school 

To watch our childish insect plays. 

I hated that industrious fool, 

That ant, with all his selfish ways. 

I still do, may God punish me. 

I know. My reason’s weak at times. 

I love the thing that’s given, that’s free, 

A ray of sunlight or these rhymes. 

The joy, when Saturday comes round – 

While Monday morning is sheer hell. 

To work oneself into the ground 

Is something fools can do quite well, 

To force one’s way past mindless friction 

Until there’s only bed – forget 

That inspiration, poems, fiction, 

Elude the zealot’s fishing net. 

I love all simple, effortless things; 

The industrious poet lacks romance. 

Small wonder that God granted wings 

To grasshoppers and not to ants. 

THE DACHA 

We buy the tickets for both of us. 

The chance of a fast train is slim. 

Most poets gallop on Pegasus, 

But you and I live under him. 

Not laden like pack-mules, we fly, 

We spread our wings, survey the scene. 

Look north – there’s Moscow, look south – 

why, 

There’s Tula – where I’ve never been, 

Although I eat its sweet spice-cake – 

All seven patterns, a special brand. 

My nephew always loves to bake 

Sand-pies on scattered river sand. 

It’s mixed with clay from the Oka, 

Washed almost white. 

Young Vova roams 

The river-bank; his sand-pies are 

Like Easter-cakes with little domes. 

Our dacha’s amber, the roof is green. 

It’s not as spacious or as tall 

As other dachas you’ll have seen, 

But it’s the loveliest of them all. 

Here everything’s sealed in a glow 

Of resin, window-frames to eaves, 

And only Pegasus can know 

What poems we have up our sleeves. 

translated by Mary Hobson 


91

- 

INTERVIEW 

SEBASTIAN MOŃ 

92 


AS AN ARTIST, I CONSTANTLY 

LOOK FOR MY OWN FORM 

OF EXPRESSING EMOTIONS. 

93 


93

MELANCHOLIC 

INDUSTRIALISM 

It is impossible not to compare your paintings with the 

art of the Polish master Zdzislaw Beksinski and H. R 

Giger. What do you think and how do you feel about it? 

Such comparisons, especially in the style I represent, are 

very difficult to avoid. I don’t feel particularly bad about 

it, although the fact is, the vast majority of people are 

looking for the influence of Beksinki and they are literally 

everywhere. To be honest, it really doesn’t matter to me. 

I don’t feel any pressure, because as an artist, I constantly 

look for my own form of expressing emotions. 

I’ve read that you have no formal art education, that 

you are self-taught. I, as an all-round self-taught person, 

admire your hard work and your desire for self-improvement. 

What was your artistic path? Did you start 

by copying the masters? And if so, who? 

My creative path began in my youth, when I drew with 

what I could, on what I could. Later, I expressed my passion 

for creativity with pencils and and watercolours. In 

fact, I spread my wings when I discovered acrylic paints. 

This gave me new opportunities and the energy to create. 

I’ve stuck with them to this day, and this is my favourite 

medium. There were, of course, attempts to imitate 


other artists, but I saw it more as a kind of exercise and 

test of my abilities. The leitmotif on which I based my 

art in my youth was a broadly understood fantasy, which 

I quickly completely abandoned in favour of surrealism, 

and more recently “ melancholic industrialism”, as I like 

to define my work. 

How long does it take you to complete one painting? 

It depends on how many things are interrupting me 

whilst I am working. I am a person who is completely 

absorbed in all kinds of activities. In addition to drawing, 

I also love sports, especially mountain long-distance 

running, obstacle recess and kettlebells workout (s). 

Training takes a lot of my time and I try to reconcile 

these two passions, although I admit that this is not an 

easy task. Generally speaking, one painting takes about 

a month. 

Do you believe in afflatus? 

I believe in hard work, persistence and an endless 

passion for creation. I don’t wait for an inspiration and 

I don’t really think about it. I draw because I breathe it. 

The whole world depicted in my paintings is with me


95 

95

96 


I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED 

IN UNUSUAL, DARK SUBJECTS, 

ON THE VERGE OF MADNESS. 

97 


97

98 


MY CREATIVE PATH BEGAN IN MY 

YOUTH, WHEN I DREW WITH WHAT 

I COULD, ON WHAT I COULD. 

twenty-four hours a day. Maybe this is a constant inspiration? 

I don’t know if I can answer this question unequivocally. 

How many pictures have you drawn so far? Do you 

keep any records? 

I have no foggiest idea; I don’t do numbers. 

What is art for you? 

An escape from everyday life. It is my own world, where 

I like to immerse myself, move around and absorb every 

part of it. 

What inspires you? 

Everything that surrounds me. 

Zdzislaw Beksinski worked at his home, in the twilight, 

using artificial light. How are your paintings created? 

What is your favourite place to create? 

I create at home to the accompaniment of my favourite 

music. 

What is The Sacrament of Awakenings? 

This is the title of a book I wrote some time ago. The 

Sacrament of Awakenings is a horror novel in the atmosphere 

of the Walking Dead, Resident Evil with a trace of 

Silent Hill. This project took a lot of energy. 

The text, cover design and illustrations are all my own 

creation. There is a second part in my drawer waiting to 

be finished. Perhaps one day I will strive to have them 

published. 

You belong to the Facebook group called The Dark 

Side of Art, you listen to Behemoth, you are a fan of 

The Walking Dead, you write about zombies, why such 

interests? 

I have always been interested in unusual, dark subjects, 

on the verge of madness. I’ve been involved with black 

metal and similar types of music since I was very young. 

Behemoth is one of my favourite bands to this day. The 

post-apocalypse topic has always stimulated my imagination 

and is very close to my heart. I literally absorb 

all kinds of creativity related to the zombie theme. This 

fascination probably started within the first minutes of 

playing such games as Resident Evil or S. T. A. L. K. E. R. 

(this is not exactly post-apocalyptic, but the vibe is cool). 

I’ve been a fan of anything to do with electronic entertainment 

for more than twenty years, and in my free 

time, apart from sports or painting, I like to get under the 

skin of virtual reality game characters. 

What do you do professionally? 

I am a P.E. teacher, and I also have many other coaching 

credentials. I’ve been involved with sports for as long as 

I can remember. I started out like most guys, playing all 

day on the football field and running around the yard. 

This was followed by taking part in track and field events: 

sprint races, relay races or long jump events. Now I’m 

mostly involved with long-distance running, which I mentioned 

already. 

Your work is characterized by the high quality and the 

amount of small details (in my opinion), are you a patient 

person in other areas of life? 

In sports, yes. In other areas, I often have less patience. 

Where can someone view/ buy your paintings? 

I do not like to part with my works, but of course, they 

are for sale. I can be contacted through social media. 

I also have a Facebook page dedicated to my painting. 

Recently, Instagram users can also dig into my art. In 

addition to virtual spaces, I occasionally exhibit my work 

in art galleries. 

Finally – what’s your advice for young artists? 

Do what you believe in. 

Thank you. [RC] 

RENATA CYGAN 

POST SCRIPTUM 99 99

JULIUSZ ERAZM BOLEK 

GOLD VEIN 

gold vein of the city 

lights at evening 

rips from night’s skin 

blinds, engrosses 

All see, desire 

the gold vein 

none can buy it 

or even touch 

you never know 

where its light leads 

even the cat can’t know 

who walks the roofs 

grains of gold sand 

run down the streets 

rushing to steal the new born day 

and when the sun’s eye lifts its lid 

the gold vein disappears 

none know this magic 

none saw the witch 

graphic: RC 

*** 

even windmills fall from the sky 

and sink in your eyes 

you stepped from a Modigliani 

which I never 

managed to paint 

paradise apples fall from trees 

escape to paradise 

and I look out between them 

for your traces 

to find out 

where you came from 

and where I’ll disappear 

1 0 0 POST SCRIPTUM

DEVIL 

have you ever felt the devil 

like a storm wave 

swim right to the threshold 

as you and a girl make love 

and with the voice of a choked stream 

demand help 

perhaps to cut 

your dream life short 

when tulips flower 

so very sad 

bereft of time 

that he might share 

something heroic 

at the games others invent 

in stories of unfinished fights 

and fictional as many things 

possessing eyes 

lighting fires 

hands that can shake the world 

and thoughts to wring out 

violence from every man 

but worst 

to feel the devil as you stroll 

with promenades 

amongst fresh fruit stalls 

still sitting 

strangely quiet 

without even a 

bottle of beer 

just sitting 

watching you 

and waiting 

BEAR PAWS 

bear paws are massive 

he can sweep the world with them 

bear paws 

are impractical and un-useful 

when he destroys that which he wants 

kiss these paws 

suck each finger 

when desire 

crumbles on your lips 

you will not return to sense 

desire regardless of the cost 

to find yourself 

amid a world swept by 

this beast of fur 

the plush lookalike 

you’ve loved since childhood 

SQUARING THE CIRCLE 

a square 

is perfect equality 

of a four-sided world 

a triangle 

is a poor square 

a circle 

is a perfect square 

a sphere 

is absolute 

but only 

squaring the circle 

is invincible 

graphic: RC 


101

POETRY FESTIVAL 

IN INDIA 

102 


GUNTUR – HYDERABAD 2019 

The festival organizers: Nagasuseela Panchumarthi 

and Gopichand Paruchuri. 

Foreign Delegates 

103 


All For Peace, Peace For All 

Guntur is not the largest (about 750 thousand 

inhabitants), but one of the most densely 

populated cities in the world, located in the 

central-eastern part of India, only 40 km from the Bay 

of Bengal, almost 1,800 km by rail from New Delhi, 

a journey which takes at least 33 hours (I have not 

tried). 

Here in Guntur the International Poetry Festival 

is organized (last September for the 13th time), 

traditionally in the buildings of JKC College, which 

for the occasion is always decorated with fresh 

flowers, petals and twigs. Outside there are tuk-tuks, 

scooters, and cars speeding in various directions, 

seemingly without any order or plan. Noise and chaos. 

And inside, behind the door – several hundred people 

enjoying poetry. Unreal... 

The latest festival, for obvious reasons, took place 

online, but I want to bring back memories about 

the 12th edition of the festival, which happened 

in September 2019, as it is worth to mention. 

Our polish group was invited To India by Dr. 

Lanka Siva Rama Prasad – an extraordinary man: 

an Indian poet, translator, publisher, editor, 

philanthropist and a respected doctor of cardiac 

surgery. This was a group of Polish poets: Alicja 

Kuberska (Inowrocław), Agnieszka Jarzębowska 

(Sieradz), Izabela Zubko with her husband Rafał 

and daughter Agnieszka (Warsaw), Ryszard Grajek 

(Czechowice-Dziedzice), Anna Czachorowska (Warsaw), 

Bożena Helena Nowak-Mazur (UK) and Renata Cygan 

(UK). 

I met Prasad in Poland, during the Slavic Poetry 

Festival in Czechowice-Dziedzice in 2018, where I had 

the role to be his personal translator (from the English 

language of course). Prasad is an open man, very easy 

going, kind, and full of good, positive energy, so he 

quickly made friends with Polish poets. And during 

one nice evening (full of poetry, food, and liquors of 

all kinds) he decided to invite us to India. If anyone 

took this announcement seriously, it certainly wasn’t 

me. But Prasad had kept his promise. In September 

2019, very excited, we found ourselves (with the group 

mentioned above) at a poetry festival in the heart 

of Asia. 

Poetry festivals; what are they for? – someone 

would ask. For poets who for a moment want to feel 

appreciated? For organizers or city authorities who 

want to fulfill some missions, or just settle their political 

104 

1 0 4 POST SCRIPTUM 

responsibilities? Or maybe (warmer, warmer) – for 

ordinary people – lovers of words, random listeners, 

and most of all, for students – young people for 

whom meeting with live poets and their work is 

contact with another, maybe a bit strange and 

surprising, world? I assure you – at each such meeting 

there is at least one young mind that will “click” and 

listen with understanding and appreciation. And even 

for this only one soul, it is worth visiting these poetic 

festival places and sharing our poetry. In India, there 

were many such interesting young souls. You can see 

in them some unusual eagerness for knowledge, for 

learning, some hunger for exploring new paths. 

This is what struck me most at the festival in Guntur: 

selfless involvement of the students, willingness 

to help – incognito, without complaint, with 

a smile on the face, and great respect for the guest. 

For us – accustomed to western directness – it was 

even slightly embarrassing at times. Indian people 

are: polite, well behaved, they have respect for 

visitors, they are extremely hospitable and proud of 

their traditions. In such an atmosphere of mutual 

respect and curiosity, our group of Polish poets, 

for the first time in history, took part in the 12th 

International Poetry Festival – Guntur 2019, under the 

slogan: All For Peace, Peace For All. 

The hosts of the festivals in Guntur are two 

lecturers at JKC College – Nagasuseela Panchumarthi 

and Gopichand Paruchuri. With their hard work – 

their own and the young volunteers’ – they have 

achieved real success. During the 12 years of these 

events, several thousand (I am not exaggerating, 

I have checked this) poets, writers, publishers, artists, 

literature professors, and all sorts of enthusiasts 

of the written word passed through college 

buildings. Among them – our Polish representation. 

Numerically modest, but undoubtedly treated 

like VIPs. The organizers provided us with an 

accommodation, food, transport and tourist 

attractions. 

For the occasion of the festival, an Anthology 

The Vase was published, containing poems from 

around the world (in English), including ours. 

Someone will ask about the spoken language 

(quite important in case of poetry). Well, in this 

part of India, the native language is Telugu (spoken 

by over 80 million people!). Of course, there is also 

the national language – Hindi. But the festival was 

conducted in English, which they learn from early

Foreign Delegates - a bilboard on the College’s wall 

Guntur streets 

The Polish group in Salar Jung Museum 

Nagasuseela Panchumarthi, Renata Cygan and Gopichand Paruchuri 

B. Narsing Rao, Renata Cygan, the director 

of Salar Jung Museum and Dr. Lanka Siva 

Rama Prasad 

105 


Alicja Kuberska, Renata Cygan, Izabela Zubko i Bozena Helena Mazur-Nowak in Ramoji Film City 

1 0 6 POST SCRIPTUM 

Ramoji Film City 

Dr. Lanka Siva Rama Prasad and B. Narsing Rao

childhood. Dr. Prasad made a very nice gesture for us, 

as at his own expense, he translated (from English to 

Telugu) and published our poetry books for the needs 

of the festival. 

The event was organized with great attention 

to detail, full of diverse flavours. After long speeches 

– there was time for traditional dance performed 

by young girls, after reciting poems – handing out 

prizes, certificates, honouring with traditional props: 

colourful scarves, turbans, statuettes, etc. After the 

awards – lighting candles and arranging them in a 

circle of fresh petals. Lots of magical moments and 

good, positive energy. It should be mentioned that all 

women (including students) dress in saris every day 

(known as cheera in Telugu). It is truly unbelievable 

that this traditional garment is still being worn, dating 

back at least 5000 years. What an extraordinary 

richness of colours and patterns! During these few 

days I have not seen two similar saris – each is unique, 

and the ladies look like tropical flowers in them. 

After the end of the festival in Guntur, 

we were transported to Hyderabad – the capital 

of Andhra Pradesh. 

Nagasuseela Panchumarthi, Ryszard Grajek and Gopichand Paruchuri 

In Hyderabad, we were joined by one of 

the most famous Tollywood directors (yes, yes. 

Bollywood – in Bombai, Tollywood – in Telangana), 

an extremely interesting, colourful man – B. Narsing 

Rao. He is a director, screenwriter, composer, 

producer, actor and painter, known for his films in 

Telugu. The list of awards and distinctions he has 

received is really impressive. And this extraordinary 

man, (privately – a friend of Prasad), took care of 

a group of Polish poets for the duration of the festival. 

107 


Ramoji Film City. 

Polish group singing Polish song on the stage 

Poetry is magic in itself, 

but poetry in India is like 

sinking into completely 

fairy-tale areas. 

108 

Ryszard Grajek w tradycyjnym stroju 


Together with Prasad, they sponsored our entire stay 

in Hyderabad. 

It was with great pleasure that we visited the 

world’s largest (according to the Guinness Book of 

Records) film studios – Ramoji Film City. Covering over 

2,000 acres, it offers over 500 movie sets. Such an 

amazing place! 

The next day, information about festivals 

in Guntur and Hyderabad appeared in more than 

10 independent magazines. At the meeting in the 

prestigious Salar Jung Museum (which houses the 

largest and greatest collection of antiques in the 

country), the organizers of GIPF and Writers Corner 

honored festival guests with special diplomas – the 

International Life Time Achievement Award. At this 

meeting, there were about 20 photojournalists and at 

least 5 television stations for which we gave interviews. 

It is impossible to describe all the attractions 

and mention all the cordial meetings in which we 

had the opportunity to participate. But one thing 

I particularly remember – a meeting at the Vijayawada 

& Armaravati Cultural Centre at the invitation of 

President Padmai Iyengar-Paddy, a poet and a writer. 

After the official presentations, we were met with a 

surprise in the form of a song to the poem by Wisława 

Szymborska (famous Polish poet and a Nobel prize 

winner), The Three Strangest Words. The artist sang it in 

a traditional style, to a very exotic music, completely in 

Polish language! What an effort! It was a really touching 

experience. There were many more such flavours. 

For example, reading poems in the atmospheric Fort 

Golconda – pure magic! Our entire stay in India was 

beautiful, colourful, and unique. It was like traveling 

back in time, sinking into the extraordinary culture 

– it was a richness of flavours, smells, and unusual 

spiritual experiences. Extraordinary people, interesting 

conversations, unexpected friendships. Poetry is 

magic in itself, but poetry in India is like sinking into 

completely fairy-tale areas. [RC] 

How can you not 

love festivals? 

How can you not 

love POETRY? 

Photos: 

Rafal Jarnicki, Agnieszka Jarzębowska, Renata Cygan, 

Renata Cygan and Nagasuseela Panchumarthi, 

official website of the GIPF Poerty Festival 

109 


109


KRZYSZTOF 

SYLWESTER 

ŁOZOWSKI 

Krzysztof Sylwester Łozowski was born 

in 1970 in Sosnowiec. After graduation from the 

Secondary School of Visual Arts in Katowice he 

went to study film animation at the Post-secondary 

Artistic Studio in Bielsko-Biała. He also earned a 

degree in Graphic Arts from the Teachers College in 

Katowice. In 1993 he enrolled in the painting and 

drawing programme offered by the Department 

of Arts at the Art Institute of the University of 

Katowice, from which he graduated in 1998. As an 

artist, he employs a variety of techniques, including 

oil and acrylic painting, drawing, painting on old 

wood, watercolour (experiments with handmade 

paper from across the world), doll design, his own 

artistic techniques, photography and graphic design. 

He has created a number of painting series, such as 

The Town of Łozowsko Wielkie, Poppy Ladies, Pick 

Your Tree, Fairy Tales for Adults, The Wooden World 

and Water. His works have been shown as part of 

individual and collective exhibitions in Poland and 

abroad. They can be found in private collections 

across the world. 

Art Gallery 

www.lozowski.art.pl 

lozowski.krzysztof@gmail.com 


111


“The water of Łozowsko is alive – so much that it seems to 

be breathing when whisked by a tender brush. It pours itself 

onto the canvas with a gentle cascade of colours shimmering 

with seasons, times of the day and moods of the moment. It 

becomes green and silver, gold and crimson red. Magnetic, 

promising and mysterious; it is just water that desires to be 

nothing else. You may immerse in it, fish out a dream and 

touch the unknown. You may lose yourself in its rippling or 

follow the plume of the moon’s shadow to suddenly disperse 

in its glitter. The water of Łozowsko knows no bounds when 

it murmurs with tranquillity. It is primeval. Flowing from the 

source of the Artist’s imagination, it stimulates your own 

creativity. Do not close your eyes. Look into its depths, let 

yourself be carried away by them. Can you feel it? It is alive…” 

Grażyna Orlińska 

THE TOWN ŁOZOWSKO WIELKIE 

Houses can be people. 

Flowers wearing hats can 

speak and laugh. 

Clowns have too big shoes. 


113

WATER 

How did it happen that you had become an artist – a 

painter? 

When I was a child, I was watching my brother paint and 

draw. Janusz, who is 12 years older than me, is a painter. 

I enjoyed very much squeezing oil paints from tubes and 

the process of creating something on a white canvas. 

There was nothing and, suddenly, there is something. 

I filled in everything possible with doodles: cards, 

copybook covers, tables, and walls. I remember I made 

corrections in the paintings on the walls using my 

crayons. One day I caused a great scandal – I irreversibly 

destroyed some religious pictures when I decided to add 

some dynamics to them and drew fire flames around the 

figures. 

As I remember, I always doodled impulsively, almost 

destroyed and threw away what I had drawn. At the same 

time, I was singing and shouting. It was a little painting 

theatre of a child. When I wanted to draw a simple tower, 

and it would always lean to one side, so as a punishment I 

drew it upside down. 

My brother, who noticed my interest, gave me blank 

sheets of paper and assigned topics to draw. He would 

also find competitions. One picture from that period has 

been preserved until today – maybe it is the first work 

in the series The Town of Łozowsko Wielkie. When my 

brother was not around, I would be looking at all painting 

albums he had and going through books devoted to art 

history. I would set up easels, the palette and turn into a 

painter, just like him. And this has remained with me until 

today. 

In the world that I created for myself at that time I 

could build a variety of houses, cities, talking animals 

and story-telling birds. I could play there as much as I 

wanted. The reality around me then was very difficult 

for a child and the world of painting enabled me to 

escape it and find myself a safe haven. 

Who are the residents of Łozowsko Wielkie? 

Łozowsko Wielkie is the world of fantasy, unfulfilled 

dreams, joy and sadness. Everything happens here. 

It was born during a sad and difficult period of my 

childhood. There are no rules here, anything is 

possible. Houses can be people, flowers wearing hats 

can speak and laugh, clowns have too big shoes and 

noses. Thoughts intermix, clouds can sing, and people 

can walk on clouds. Different voices inhabit the walls 

of mysterious townhouses and look at us through 

hundreds of windows left ajar. Maybe they are assessing 

us, maybe they would like to give us some advice. 

They are waiting, observing and gazing at us. Windows 

are waiting for someone who will come, pass by, stop 

and cast a furtive glance. Someone who will have the 

courage to enter a house from the Town of Łozowsko 

Wielkie. Freaky birds will welcome them with speech 

that has never been heard, a cat will give them a bored 

look and turn away ostentatiously. Someone is doing his 

laundry, someone is looking for butterflies, someone is 

observing everything from afar. Maybe the town is us 

as we may see ourselves there, our joy, happiness, lies, 

scheming, and vanity or, maybe, the town only pretends 

to be a land of joy. 


My style is above 

all expressions. 

According to critics your art is expressive. How would 

you define your style? 

My style is above all expressions. Great dynamics of 

the movements of a brush, spatula, pencil, splashing 

and rubbing. Everything is possible: every tool, fruit, 

vegetable may be a paint or pencil. Every surface is 

good to create a painting. Destroying a cardboard 

while painting is nothing wrong. The cardboard did not 

collaborate as required and it needs to be convinced or 

bribed. Sometimes there is what I call ‘snoozing’: small 

and precise touches of a brush, which are also needed. 

But when there is no need, I try to avoid them. I wake up 

and quickly, without too much thinking for hours about, 

e.g. what colour to use, I start painting. 

I am in charge of the canvass, not vice versa. At the same 

time, it is important for me to find colour harmony, so 

that each colour that appears in a picture is coherent 

with others. They need to create an entirety. The series 

Water, which I am currently working on, offers this kind 

of opportunities for me – endless water, painted in a 

sweeping manner using various kinds of spatulas. 

‘The hell of an artist is an eternal search for oneself’ – 

to what extent does this quote apply to you? 

This is a very important and true quote. I have been 

looking for myself all my life. As I have already said, it all 

started in my childhood. A little human being who was 

lost was trying to find shelter, a safe place for himself. 

And this is how he started to build his world with many 

questions. Why is it so that they are the way they are? 

Why am I here? What will happen tomorrow? Will there 

be a tomorrow? Constant uncertainty, fear and anxiety. 


115

On the one hand, the process of creation keeps pushing 

you towards new solutions, new answers and themes. You 

create many series of pictures, but they may all become 

grey in one moment. Something has been pushing me to 

continue to search, think, never give up and keep picking 

myself up. This is a never-ending story. 

You have told me that there is a lot of your true self in 

your drawings. Your drawings are gloomy and grim. I 

can see scarecrows, malicious faces, prying eyes and 

black trees with clawed hands in them. I can see anxiety 

and inadaptability. Do I understand it well? What do 

you think about my interpretation? 

Drawings are extremely important. I have created them 

throughout my entire life since childhood. There was 

a time when I stopped painting for a long time, but I 

still created drawings. It happens without any special 

attention on my part, just like drinking tea or coffee. It 

comes by itself. Drawings are the best reflection of my 

moods and all states of mind. They are real: the line gets 

crazy on paper creating, crossing out, ripping things apart 

and often shouting. Usually, various heads, which I call 

types, appear. These elongated faces with large noses 

wear hats, are wrapped up with big collars and have big 

hands. These might be scarecrows of my childhood or 

adult life, I do not know, but they have been with me all 

the time. They come out of my head. These are often 

horrible dreams or grim thoughts. Self-portraits, the 

series The Once Was a Tree both surprise and rejoice, cry 

and ask questions. 

You are a magician, you paint with passion, you have 

curiosity for the world and the freshness of a child’s 

glance. There is still a lot of a little boy in you, isn’t 

there? 

As I have already said, I have been a little boy all the 

time. Now, I do realise that I do not quite want to grow 

up and become a serious gentleman. A child’s view of 

the world is something wonderful, it gives rise to so 

many interesting questions. Answers to them may be 

very surprising and almost unimaginable, both in art 

and all other disciplines. I would encourage everyone to 

become a bit of a child, to relax and allow oneself a little 

madness, to bend oneself both left and right, sometimes 

shout unexpectedly and sing incompetently. In this way, 

two opposing ideas may clash and become a beginning 

of something new and wonderful. Let us be children 

insomuch as it is possible. 

In one of your interviews you said: ‘I create regardless 

of days or hours’ – could you expand this thought? 

I may become completely lost in creation. Days and 

hours cease to exist, and everything is subordinated 

to my creative work. This state of mind can absorb 

me completely. Life, in a way, becomes transferred to 

the picture, where the everyday life is. This is where 

discussions and arguments are transferred, too. 

It may seem mad, but this is what the creative process 

looks like. 

11 6 POST SCRIPTUM

Harmony arises at the most unexpected moment. 

You create drawings, caricatures, watercolours, acrylic 

and oil paintings on wood and canvas using a brush or 

spatula. Do you have a favourite technique? 

All the time I have been looking for new techniques, new 

forms of expression. I like challenges very much. I like to 

learn and acquire new skills step by step. They allow me 

to freely explore new themes in my new series later on. 

Currently, I have been working using a spatula. I paint 

quickly and spontaneously. Looking for harmony, which 

has always been in my focus, is like constructing with 

building blocks. Spatulas offer an opportunity to build 

structures using such ‘blocks’. And, obviously, I have 

never parted with pencils. I carry them around in every 

pocket. You never know when a drawing is going to attack 

me. 

For quite a while now I have been following your 

artistic activity. I can hear music and see theatre in 

your pictures. How much planning and how much 

improvisation is there in your art? Do you have a story 

already prepared when you sit down in front of a blank 

canvas? 

As you have aptly phrased it, ‘pure improvisation’, 

madness, variations and trials dominate my art. I do 

not sketch before painting – I use paints from the very 

start. I am not afraid of a white canvas. Only then can 

the most surprising, completely unpredictable, or almost 

impossible, effects be achieved. Harmony arises at the 

most unexpected moment. Before painting I try to calm 

my mind down or remove the surrounding reality away 

from me in a way. The time needs to be right, so that 

the ideas stuck in my head may come to life on paper or 

canvas and I am not a barrier to it. I would rather wait for 

the right moment than accelerate it. 

For example, I have been waiting for the series of 

drawings devoted to childhood. Let me just add that each 

picture ‘provokes’ the next one. I think that inside my 

head there are enough ideas for a few human lives. 

Who is Krzysztof Łozowski’s favourite artist? 

My favourite artists have been changing over the years. 

I have always been attracted to Bosch and Bruegel, their 

vision of the world and the way they revealed human 

fears, weaknesses and defects. When I look at albums or 

visit museums, I pay attention to the colour or rather the 

combination of colours. And here, I would like to offer my 

compliments to Claude Monet. 

What is art for you? 

Art is my way of life. It means to sustain despite fear and 

evil that have always accompanied us. Art is a smile and 

joy. It is the sense of fulfilment. It is also the expectation 

of tomorrow, in particular the morning. I often get up very 

early and I start to paint immediately. This is when I can 

enjoy peace and quiet. Pictures are created, they start 

talking and – at such an early hour – they can be heard. 


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A rt is my way of life. 

Art is a smile and joy. 


first paintings from childhood 

Where do you like to paint the most? 

I have painted everywhere, most often at my studio at the 

moment. If I can, I go to the meadow or the forest. This is 

where I create, among birds and ants. 

You are a very prolific artist. Do you know how many 

pictures you have painted? Do you have any register? 

Quite a few, I think, but I do not know the exact number 

of the pictures I have painted. As I have said, there are 

even more of them in my head, they are the pictures still 

to be created. 

How long does it take you to create one picture? 

My recent pictures have been painted really fast. I think 

that the fewer corrections, the better. Sometimes I may 

get angry with the canvas and change something before I 

finally go back to my initial concept. Sometimes a picture, 

in order to be created, needs one hour and at other times 

it is an entire day. 

I do not like corrections. I prefer to start something 

from afresh. There is always a possibility that this time 

something new and unexpected will appear and I will be 

surprised by the picture. 

I wish you many of such moments of surprise. [RC] 

Translated by Dagmara Wolska 


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POST SCRIPTUM English__ Feb 2021

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