Ethnography

A fragment of a display

The folk art collection covers sculptures, paintings and various kinds of decorative art - earthenware, ceramic goods and ornamented blacksmith objects.

Sculpture is represented by a few generations of artists. The biggest group are sculptors, who were active in the interwar period. Among them are: Leon Kudła, Józef Piłat, Michał Grygiel, Marian Brudek, Józef Kwiecień, Izydor Lipiec. Their works reflect many different fields of existence: religious life, everyday activities, birds and other animals. They took pleasure in sculpting angels, devils and characters known from legends and fairy-tales.They often sculpted figures of saints, the blessed virgin; in fact secular issues were not important for them. The folk art is often very colourful, naive, and primitive in form. However, it serves as a connector between generations, shows most important people's values and teaches the youngest how to respect their ancestors' culture and traditions.

The situation changed after the Second World War and secular sculptures started to be created more eagerly. Also the aim of the artistic work changed - it was not only for religious reasons but also for decoration. In the 1960s and 1970s there may be observed quite huge freedom in interpreting religious themes and growing interest in secular ones. The group of artists, who created after the war, is represented by: Adam Zegadło (1910-1989) , Józef Kaczmarek (1915-1997), Józef Zganiacz (1904-1996), Stanisław Denkiewicz (1913-1990).

The youngest sculptors do not deny religion and take huge inspiration from this field. It is confirmed by works by Tadeusz Żak (1925-1998), Antoni Baran, Zdzisław Łabuda, Bogdan Gębski (1948-2005) and Grzegorz Król.
Other part of a display are modern paintings. They are also strongly marked by religious experiences of their creators. They are often painted with primitive methods, without professional preparations nor materials. Folk painters create spontaneously, reflect their closest surroundings, everyday activities, celebrations. Among the painters presented on the display we may find: Stanisław Bąk (1931-1986), Józef Franusiak (1914-1981), Marianny Wiśnios (1909-1996), Józef Firmanty (1913-1995). It must be mentioned that the folk artists understand their creative work as expressing yourselves, as continuating tradition handed in from one generation to another.

A really interesting, but not numerous, are examples of earthenware. Each earthenware centre had its own characteristic ornamentation. Generally, the forms of vessels are rather simple, without complicated shapes and decorations.