Nowosielski – ikony – Podlasie. Kanon – czy zawsze oczywisty?

• Authors: Ewa Zalewska

Title variants

EN

Nowosielski – Icons – Podlasie. Infographic Canon – Always Obvious?

Abstracts

EN

The iconostasis and icons created by Jerzy Nowosielski (1923–2011) for Podlasie orthodox temples half a century ago and rejected at that time, were brought to Podlasie again – this time into a different space – as an exhibition of the Museum of Icons in Supraśl, Branch of the Podlasie Museum in Białystok. This exhibition contributed to raising many questions and reflections. Why were the works created by Nowosielski rejected? Common neo-Russian architecture and icon patterns present in Orthodox churches half a century ago might have shaped aesthetic preferences of the faithful at those times. Are contemporary church art perceptions changing? Are we able to give a fresh look to the iconographic canon, get a new perspective, or is it likely to stay unreachable or perilously close to oblivion? Nowosielski was an artist and theologian. Although his painting grew out of the icon’s aesthetics, the understanding of the theology and icons was not constant and it was an unending search for his own way. Over half a century ago the combination of avantgarde and iconography proved to be risky – in Podlasie, many of Nowosielski’s works were misunderstood and rejected. A lot of interesting projects of Orthodox church architecture, polychrome or interior arrangement were not carried out at all. The exhibition ‘<(...) and I regret that Jerzy is not here ... .> Novosielski Unknown’45 presented many sketches, including unrealized concepts. And nowadays, is it a popular attitude among artists to treat the canon as a path they follow in their unique way? Observing contemporary realizations orthodox churches’ interiors, is right to ask ourselves, are we not resort back to experiences from far centuries of icon painting now, in the 21st century? Can we ignore aesthetic preferences and sensibility of the contemporary man? Was Nowosielski not more imaginative and authentic in his realizations half a century ago than many artists today? Nowosielski opened up new paths in the iconography half a century ago. The time of the awareness to view the icon as a fully valuable art work may have come. It is possible to reconcile a very important language of the iconographic canon with the present-day context, so that our artistic legacy would not turn out unattractive and unauthentic in the future. The aesthetics of the icons created by Nowosielski could still inspire contemporary artists-iconographers, who have been following the path opened up by him.

Keywords

PL

Podlasie; ikona współczesna; kanon ikonograficzny; awangarda; ikonostas; Jerzy Nowosielski

• Publisher: Akademia Supraska
• Journal: Latopisy Akademii Supraskiej
• Year: 2017
• Volume: Cerkiew a asymilacja- swój i obcy
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 187-205

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

Ewa Zalewska

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

2171289