Meduza jako godło Igora Mitoraja

Abstract

Medusa as the emblem of Igor Mitoraj

The sculptures of Igor Mitoraj (1944–2014) are characterised by Ancient Greek beauty of the Classical era. At the same time Mitoraj, as a pupil of Tadeusz Kantor, also perceived beauty in that which was defective or fragmentary. His world became saturated with the culture of Ancient Italy. A motif that frequently appears in his creative work is that of the Gorgon Medusa, which has fascinated artists over two millennia. In the words of Goethe, the reason for this is that “it expressed the chasm separating life from death, pain from pleasure, matters which fascinate us the most”. Mitoraj sculpted her beautiful head with writhing snakes instead of hair in marble and metal as an independent sculpture, but more frequently incorporated her head into other compositions. Medusa became the artist’s signature. In
form it was similar to the Rondanini Medusa or that by Bernini. A similar depiction of the head of Medusa appears in the portrait of the sculptor Tadeusz Błotnicki painted by Jacek Malczewski. Her close-pressed lips breathe inspiration towards the artist. Medusa is immortal, and for Mitoraj she becomes his symbol for Art, which likewise grants immortality.