Sacred art - small parishes hide real treasures

Sacred art once stood in the center of the world of culture. The artists developed their careers under the patronage of the church, without whom we would not be able to enjoy the paintings of the great Renaissance masters today. The break of the dialogue between the church and art was a long-term process and is today the subject of considerations of many dorms. The split was finally sealed in 1895 by the decision of the Patriarch of Venice, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, later Pope Pius X, who forbade clergy and laity from participating in the art biennale.

Artists and clergymen have already spoken in two different languages and the church has not seen how this situation would change. The effects of this decision are visible until today, even though in 1964 Paul VI said to the artists significant words: "We dealt with you very badly, we resorted to surrogates,  to the art of small value and small advantages. Admittedly, for our justification, there was no way to get great, new and admirable works. We have ventured into the winding alleys where art, beauty and - what is worse for us - worship of God were badly used. "

In support of these words in the Constitution on the Holy Liturgy, one of the most important documents of the Second Vatican Council, in the chapter devoted to art, it is written that works that represent low level and mediocrity should not be presented in the church.

The return of good quality art to the walls of the church is still a slow process, in many places barely noticeable.

Before the sacred art, however, starts to set artistic directions again, a walk through small parishes far away from large metropolises makes it possible to appreciate the diligence and aesthetic sense of local artists - tirelessly reducing the distance between the church and art.

Łukasz Guzowski comes from a small town in Masuria. He has been interested in art since he was a child, but he did not study in this direction. After completing his theological studies, he began further studies on the Protection of Cultural Property at the University of Nicholas Copernicus in Torun.

He came into contact with wall painting in high school. In the home town, renovation and conservation works were carried out at the polychromy in the church. He managed to employ these works, where he was noticed and appreciated by conservators, which resulted in further cooperation. It was then that Łukasz learned the techniques and methods of maintenance, it also helped him to get several independent orders to design the interior of the sacral interior and to design and perform the painting decorations. He carried out all wall paintings using the al secco technique consisting in coating dry plaster with paints mixed with water.