Jerzy Nowosielski

Jerzy Nowosielski (1923-2011) was a distinguished Polish artist excelling in painting, drawing, stage design, architecture, illustration, and art theory, profoundly influenced by Orthodox theology. His innovative paintings explored the interplay of the material and metaphysical worlds, challenging Cartesian dualism. His extensive oeuvre included paintings, drawings, prints, architectural designs, church polychromes, and writings, reflecting his subversive views on faith and art. Nowosielski's work transcended traditional nudes, portraits, still lifes, and landscapes, introducing the concept of "secular icons" that coexisted with traditional religious icons. He believed that true art, whether sacred or secular, must touch upon the realms of the "sacred" (sacrum) and the "profane" (profanum), creating a captivating tension that ultimately makes for excellent art.