Stanis?aw Cukier

Since we are already on the subject of outstanding personalities in the art world, one of the most outstanding Polish sculptors of the 20th and 21st century - Stanis?aw Cukier - should be mentioned .

This native of Zakopane is not only an artist, but also an educator - for 25 years he was the director of the Antoni Kenar Complex of Art Schools in Zakopane (he himself graduated from this school in the 1970s). At the turn of the 70's and 80's he studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts, which he graduated with honours from the studio of prof. Sophie Demkowska. After graduation he worked for several years as a lecturer in the Casting Technique Laboratory at Warsaw University. In 2016, he was awarded the Silver Medal "Gloria Artis", apart from that, he has received such distinctions as the Gold Medal at the Biennial of the Small Sculpture Form in Ravenna, Italy in 1992, the award of the Year of the Zakopane Region ZPAP in 2007 and 2008 and the first place in the national stage of the Olimpic Competition Sport and Art in 2012.

His works can be seen, among others in The Britisch Museum in London, the National Museum in Warsaw, Poznań and the Museum of Medal Art in Wroc?aw.

In his work, the artist is guided by authenticity and a deep-rooted need to capture a selected topic through his own original prism. "I had predispositions for sculpture" - this is how the sculptor himself sums up his artistic path.

Looking at the work "Staszek" we find this very sincerity of creative expression in it. This is not an example of perfect realism, but rather a capture of the essence of the presented topic, which is a young boy. Similarly, in the case off the sculpture "Tereska", it is not consistent with a typical human shape, but it contains a strong trace of the artist's character. The unusual feature of both works is a strong bond between these bronze enchanted figures and the Author. 

From Stanis?aw Cukier's statement we learn about the process which results in a finished work - he tries not to impose any specific framework on himself, the sculptor attaches great importance to the original idea, which he transfers to the initial projects, from which he chooses the most satisfactory one and fixes it in bronze.