Sztuka jako modlitwa w esejach Joanny Pollakówny

Abstract

Joanna Pollakówna’s essay writing is an evidence of reflection over art and spirituality of a person for whom beauty bears an aesthetic and religious character, and communing with it is a form of self-knowledge. In her essays views of Italian humanists (Ficino, Bombo) and the opinion of S. Weil are significant links as far as interpretation of painting understood as a form of prayer is concerned. Her essay writing is characterised by a diversity of analysed paintings (landscape, still life, portrait, icon, religious works) and their creators who stem from various periods (Zurbarán, Bellini, Savoldo, Titian, Bassano, Chardin, Redon, Stajuda, Spychalski, Nowosielski). For Pollakówna blending aesthetic and spiritual experiences is a sign of painting’s value and art is an expression of its creators searching for identity. For receivers and artists, on the other hand, it is a sign of resistance to passing time.