Crucifix

After the war, Edward Kołacz (1909-1991), a shoemaker from Zawiercie, moved to Szczecin with his wife and son. There, he worked in his learned profession. He began sculpting in 1961, mainly at the instigation of his son, Jerzy Kołacz (1938-2009), a painter, illustrator and graphic artist. The 1960s were the period when Edward established his style of sculpting. He often exploited the natural qualities of wood, becoming a master of enhancing their natural colour, emphasising the grain, knots, etc. 'Crucifix' is a work in which Edward Kołacz's sense of observation and imagination are evident. It is made of two pieces of wood. One is a fragment of a birch bough naturally forked in the form of a cross. Christ's silhouette is vaguely depicted as if blended into the birch branch. His body proportions have been distorted since he has short limbs with unnaturally large hands and feet. The second element of the sculpture is the head of the Crucified, placed in the place where the branch was cut off. It is made of a natural fragment of wood, in which, after debarking, Kołacz carved a pain-stricken man's face. The birch arms of the cross attract attention, enhancing the expression of the sculpture. 'Crucifix' is an exceptional work in Kołacz's oeuvre, as he was primarily interested in two themes: elderly people and motherhood.

Iwona Karwowska