untitled
2011
National Museum in Szczecin
There are no wrong answers in the world of associations. One word can trigger a whole series of thoughts. It all depends, for example, on what we do every day, what we like to do and what was on our minds a moment ago. And since people are very different from one another, the answers can be astonishing at times. Let's look at the associations with the word "light".
Imagine that during a street survey, a journalist approaches you. You hear one word and you have to say out loud the first thing that comes to your mind without thinking.
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Our topic is:
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Interview with Sara (31 years old, doctor)
Journalist: The first association with the word "light".
Sara: Religion. Oh, that was easy! I am Jewish, so I thought of my religion, Judaism.
Journalist: Please, tell us what is behind this association.
Sara: In Judaism, light has great significance. You could say it even has its own holiday. It's Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Dedication or Festival of Lights. It lasts for eight days. Each evening, we light candles in a menorah or candle holder. On the first evening, we light the candle on the far right. On the second evening, the first and the second. On the third, the previous two and the next one, and so on.
Journalist: Should this menorah be placed on a table?
Sara: It should be placed at the doorway of the house or in the window, so it is visible to people outside.
Journalist: Why is that important?
Sara: Because the light is meant to remind anyone who sees it of the miracle that happened in the 2nd century BCE in Judea, which is now modern-day Israel. It was a time when attempts were made to impose a different religion on the Jews, and there was also an intrusion into the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish uprising broke out, which led to the recapture of the Temple and the restoration of the tradition of lighting the eternal flame within it. On that occasion, something extraordinary happened. A vessel with oil was found, which should have been enough for one day, but the light burned for eight days. Hanukkah commemorates this event.
Interview with Krzysztof (56 years old, archaeologist)
Journalist: The first association with the word "light".
Krzysztof: Kaganek.
Journalist: Kaganek? That's quite surprising. Please explain.
Krzysztof: Kaganek is a small vessel that was used for illumination in ancient times. It was a type of oil lamp. Finding such a treasure brings immense joy to every archaeologist.
Journalist: How does such a lamp work?
Krzysztof: In the middle, there is a bowl with a hole – through it, flammable oil is poured. Inside, a wick is placed, with one end sticking out through the spout. Such a wick soaked in oil burns very well.
Journalist: Does this kaganek have any connection to the saying "nieść kaganek oświaty" ("to carry the torch of enlightenment"), meaning to act in a way that allows as many people as possible to learn and have access to knowledge?
Krzysztof: Exactly. In the past, in order to study after dark, one had to light such a kaganek. The combination of learning and light gave rise to that proverb.
Interview with Adam (42 years old, artist painter)
Journalist: The first association with the word "light".
Adam: Caravaggio. My artistic master. But it's not just about his paintings, but also about what he brought to the history of painting.
Journalist: Please tell us about it.
Adam: Caravaggio lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries in Italy. A characteristic feature of his works is that they are usually very dark but have one or several illuminated fragments. It seems to me that no one in the entire history of painting was able to skillfully manipulate light and shadow, and consequently, contrast.
Journalist: Did many artists follow in his footsteps?
Adam: The fame of Caravaggio reached distant (considering the criteria of that time) Netherlands. There, artists like Jan Lievens and many others created works inspired by the paintings of the talented Italian.
Interview with Piotr (29 years old, architect)
Journalist: The first association with the word "light".
Piotr: Neons.
Journalist: Street neons?
Piotr: Yes, the ones we see on the streets of our cities. During the day, we don't pay much attention to them, but they light up with all colors after dark. As an architect, it's a very interesting phenomenon for me. Neon signs gained real popularity in Poland in the 1950s. Interestingly, they were not meant to advertise something, but rather to make the streets more modern. Neons were often designed together with buildings, which created a sense of coherence.
Journalist: Do you have a favorite neon sign?
Piotr: There are many I like. But perhaps I can give you a different example. I appreciate that there are artists who use neons to create their art. One of them is Hubert Czerepok. With his works, he can make us think or challenge a stereotype, for example. I really admire such a creative approach to neons.
Interview with Anna (36 years old, teacher)
Journalist: The first association with the word "light".
Anna: Enlightenment. I see that I surprised you with this answer. But it's because I'm currently discussing this era with my students.
Journalist: So you are a teacher.
Anna: Yes, I teach Polish language. But I have to add that Enlightenment is one of my favorite topics.
Journalist: Why is that?
Anna: I like the idea of everything shining with the light of knowledge and reason. I enjoy when we rely on science and evidence. In the Enlightenment, I also appreciate the return to antiquity. During this time, excavations were carried out in Italy, and many discoveries were made – numerous sculptures were found, as well as the entire city of Pompeii buried due to a volcanic eruption. However, it cannot be said that the artists of the 18th century were only trying to imitate the ancient world. For example, Antonio Canova – an Italian sculptor – drew inspiration from antiquity but also drew from the Baroque style. In Poland, his work can be seen in the Łańcut Castle Museum.
Journalist: Since we're talking about museums, it was during the Enlightenment that the first public museums were established.
Anna: Exactly! Sometimes we don't realize how much we owe to this era today.
Baroque – the main trend in European culture, which lasted from the end of the 16th century to the 18th century. In art, it was characterized by splendor, decorativeness and contrasts. Baroque distinguished itself in all areas of art: architecture, literature, theater, art and music.
Judaism – religion professed by Jews; Judaism is belief in one God. The most important book for the followers of Judaism is the Torah.
Netherlands – The historic name of the North Sea area, which includes what is today Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Enlightenment – the era in the history of European culture that followed the Baroque. Its main distinguishing feature was getting to know the world with the help of reason. The Enlightenment falls on the 18th century, and France is considered its birthplace.
Antiquity – a period in history covering the history from the emergence of the first civilizations to around the 5th century AD This term is used for areas of the Middle East, Europe and North Africa where great civilizations developed in antiquity, including Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The term "antiquity" is sometimes used interchangeably for Greece and Rome.
Stereotype – a simplified judgment or opinion of an evaluative nature about a social group or its members, which is based on one element, e.g. gender, age, religion, nationality or psychosexual orientation. Stereotype ascribes to a given group or its members certain generalized features, while blurring the real and individual differences between people. Stereotypes are often adopted without reflection, and the people repeating them do not bother to get to know a given social group or person better and verify the stereotype on their own. The resulting assessments are often prejudicial. A stereotype is the opinion that a woman cannot be a soldier (gender stereotype) or that every German values order (a stereotype based on nationality).
Jews – followers of the religion known as Judaism; for centuries they settled in many places around the world, incl. in Poland. In 1948, the state of Israel was established, in which many Jews live.
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Królikowski, Konrad
2011
National Museum in Szczecin
Silomäki, Jari
1997 — 2001
National Museum in Szczecin
AGA AB, Sztokholm (1904-2000)
1950 — 1959
National Museum in Szczecin
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