Jul 25, 2023·edited Jul 25, 2023Liked by Alexander Adams
We do not see the world like this. We are lucky to be born at all as during WW2 the German nazis planned to kill all the Polish people just right after the Jews. Germans actually murdered 3 million ethnic Poles but we do not make the religion out of this just as the Jews tend to do. You guys are not told about this during the "Holocaust Memorial Days" etc. So please give us a favor by not giving another reason to point out how the "British sense of humour is just overrated"...
Coming back to Beksiński, I am not a fan of his paintings. Am I dead serious? Well...
Thank you for the comment and serious thought. Although I have visited Poland and know Polish people, I don't claim to be an expert. I don't talk about Beksinki and Poles in a specifically historical manner here. I don't think that Poles would deny that their history has given them a unique understanding the tragic nature of man and strife first hand, but I don't claim that Poles are prone to self-pity or to leveraging their suffering politically. I have met plenty of Poles and none has a view of life that is as bleak as Beksinski; I don't think I implied anything like that here. Although Sowell developed his ideas with American politics in mind, the tragic/utopian views are universal traits.
Thank you for this text about Beksiński and for other thoughtful articles published in "Obieg".
I replied to Hivemind Emissary and perhaps wrote a bit off-topic.
The themes of tragedy, the tragic (philosophical and aesthetic category) and catastrophism is in the scope of my interest therefore I would like to add some of my thoughts.
First of, the term "tragic" is interesting in itself. In the 19th century, German idealists separated the tragic from tragedy and established a new, original category. Schelling wrote about tragedy as an idea. We remember Hegel and his influential dialectical concept of the tragic. Hegel considered tragedy and dialectics identical (which was and is the result of many misunderstandings regarding the essence of tragedy, by the way). We owe Schopenhauer the pessimistic "tragic spirit", which was later transformed by Nietzsche (not so careful philologist BTW). "The tragic vision" appeared and become popular in American literary studies after World War II. The tragic vision relates more to aesthetics than ethics and it is a world without catharsis.
Interpreting Beksiński's work in relation to the tragic vision as a pessimistic worldview is a bit risky. Many factors influenced the formation of his personality and creative attitude. My reference to WW2 was not accidental. Beksiński's was a WW2 surviver. I am attaching an image of Beskiński on the right, playing with artillery shells next to the bunker (1941):
Similar experiences were part of the children and youth's lives in Poland and other countries affected by WW2. My uncle, whose name BTW is also Zdzisław, told me a story about him and his friends playing with ammunition in the river, just after WW2.
Although Beksiński downplayed, ironized and denied his life experience during WW2 the theme is unclear. I believe that the war influenced his personality and perception of the world. I recall the case of the famous Polish writer, Stanislaw Lem, who was also denying the influence of the war on his literature during interviews, but the war experience was quite evidently present in his books. For years, critics dismissed this thread, taking the author's statements for granted. Sometime after his death, the theme reappeared and initiated lively discussions.
Another theme is Beksiński's fascination with surrealism and esotericism (eastern and western). His reflections on spirituality and esotericism are present in numerous correspondence - including letters with Andrzej Urbanowicz, an artist famous for his esoteric fascination.
Other threads to be considered: baroque, onirism and grotesque. Beksiński had been consciously writing about his art in many letters to friends, referring it to the Baroque, and even calling one period of his creative life "Baroque" and another "Gothic". Interestingly, despite practising figurative painting and having so impressive technical skills, he called his painting abstract. He avoided using titles, and cut himself off from interpretation, which intensified the aura of mystery. This kind of aesthetic was unusual during the communist era in PL. The uncanny and the mystery, of course, have always been attractive to the viewers. It probably will be attracting people in the future as well, unless AI makes it common to the point of disgust... This element was also important. I think that he abandoned photography not only because, as he said, it was limiting his imagination at some stage. He knew he wouldn't be able to make a living from photography. It is similar nowadays. Painting sells well. It needs to be added also that he was a man, who was not gloomy in his personal life. He was rational and liked to laugh a lot. Joke and persiflage were present in his work. He mentioned it in letters. Paradoxically, he ran away from the limitations and become a slave to his style at some point...
His biography is widely known. I will only add that his memories of the circumstances related to his son's cremation and secular funeral are very interesting. Beksiński did not hide his disgust at the impression of reification of the human (his son's) body. Despite his distance from religion, he mentioned that he would like to have a Catholic funeral. And he received one after his tragic death. Among the many participants at the funeral, there were also homeless people from the St. Brother Albert Aid Society, which he regularly supported by donating his works to charity auctions. From early morning they watched over the coffin without looking away. And it was, I believe, one of the most beautiful scenes he also created as well.
Best regards and looking forward to your new articles.
Thank you for this gracious and very enlightening reply! I am flattered you have taken such time and care over this comment. I had never seen that photograph or heard those details about his funeral. As an artist myself, I know that I consciously adopt certain topics and quote particular sources because of an intellectual and aesthetic preference. So, I very willing to accept that Beksinski is a more complicated man and artist than as he is often portrayed.
I am planning to write more on Beksinski and your rounded and informed view is just what I need. Would you like to send me your email address via direct messages on Twitter or LinkedIn? If you prefer, you can email me via the email address below, which I shall delete as soon as you contact me.
I read and watched the interviews with Beksiński quite a few years ago.
After our conversation, I noticed that some of the clips are available on the Internet with English subtitles. Just to add - he was a loner but had a great command of spoken Polish, which, considering his "life aside", was quite unusual.
PS Sorry for the late reply. I prefer using this account on my PC rather than mobile.
Just a quick thanks for this work. This is a completely new name to me and the man and art seem fascinating.
We do not see the world like this. We are lucky to be born at all as during WW2 the German nazis planned to kill all the Polish people just right after the Jews. Germans actually murdered 3 million ethnic Poles but we do not make the religion out of this just as the Jews tend to do. You guys are not told about this during the "Holocaust Memorial Days" etc. So please give us a favor by not giving another reason to point out how the "British sense of humour is just overrated"...
Coming back to Beksiński, I am not a fan of his paintings. Am I dead serious? Well...
Krzysztof Ligęza
Thank you for the comment and serious thought. Although I have visited Poland and know Polish people, I don't claim to be an expert. I don't talk about Beksinki and Poles in a specifically historical manner here. I don't think that Poles would deny that their history has given them a unique understanding the tragic nature of man and strife first hand, but I don't claim that Poles are prone to self-pity or to leveraging their suffering politically. I have met plenty of Poles and none has a view of life that is as bleak as Beksinski; I don't think I implied anything like that here. Although Sowell developed his ideas with American politics in mind, the tragic/utopian views are universal traits.
Thank you for this text about Beksiński and for other thoughtful articles published in "Obieg".
I replied to Hivemind Emissary and perhaps wrote a bit off-topic.
The themes of tragedy, the tragic (philosophical and aesthetic category) and catastrophism is in the scope of my interest therefore I would like to add some of my thoughts.
First of, the term "tragic" is interesting in itself. In the 19th century, German idealists separated the tragic from tragedy and established a new, original category. Schelling wrote about tragedy as an idea. We remember Hegel and his influential dialectical concept of the tragic. Hegel considered tragedy and dialectics identical (which was and is the result of many misunderstandings regarding the essence of tragedy, by the way). We owe Schopenhauer the pessimistic "tragic spirit", which was later transformed by Nietzsche (not so careful philologist BTW). "The tragic vision" appeared and become popular in American literary studies after World War II. The tragic vision relates more to aesthetics than ethics and it is a world without catharsis.
Interpreting Beksiński's work in relation to the tragic vision as a pessimistic worldview is a bit risky. Many factors influenced the formation of his personality and creative attitude. My reference to WW2 was not accidental. Beksiński's was a WW2 surviver. I am attaching an image of Beskiński on the right, playing with artillery shells next to the bunker (1941):
https://histmag.org/grafika/thumbsold/2_600x577_thb_73024.JPG
Similar experiences were part of the children and youth's lives in Poland and other countries affected by WW2. My uncle, whose name BTW is also Zdzisław, told me a story about him and his friends playing with ammunition in the river, just after WW2.
Although Beksiński downplayed, ironized and denied his life experience during WW2 the theme is unclear. I believe that the war influenced his personality and perception of the world. I recall the case of the famous Polish writer, Stanislaw Lem, who was also denying the influence of the war on his literature during interviews, but the war experience was quite evidently present in his books. For years, critics dismissed this thread, taking the author's statements for granted. Sometime after his death, the theme reappeared and initiated lively discussions.
Another theme is Beksiński's fascination with surrealism and esotericism (eastern and western). His reflections on spirituality and esotericism are present in numerous correspondence - including letters with Andrzej Urbanowicz, an artist famous for his esoteric fascination.
Other threads to be considered: baroque, onirism and grotesque. Beksiński had been consciously writing about his art in many letters to friends, referring it to the Baroque, and even calling one period of his creative life "Baroque" and another "Gothic". Interestingly, despite practising figurative painting and having so impressive technical skills, he called his painting abstract. He avoided using titles, and cut himself off from interpretation, which intensified the aura of mystery. This kind of aesthetic was unusual during the communist era in PL. The uncanny and the mystery, of course, have always been attractive to the viewers. It probably will be attracting people in the future as well, unless AI makes it common to the point of disgust... This element was also important. I think that he abandoned photography not only because, as he said, it was limiting his imagination at some stage. He knew he wouldn't be able to make a living from photography. It is similar nowadays. Painting sells well. It needs to be added also that he was a man, who was not gloomy in his personal life. He was rational and liked to laugh a lot. Joke and persiflage were present in his work. He mentioned it in letters. Paradoxically, he ran away from the limitations and become a slave to his style at some point...
His biography is widely known. I will only add that his memories of the circumstances related to his son's cremation and secular funeral are very interesting. Beksiński did not hide his disgust at the impression of reification of the human (his son's) body. Despite his distance from religion, he mentioned that he would like to have a Catholic funeral. And he received one after his tragic death. Among the many participants at the funeral, there were also homeless people from the St. Brother Albert Aid Society, which he regularly supported by donating his works to charity auctions. From early morning they watched over the coffin without looking away. And it was, I believe, one of the most beautiful scenes he also created as well.
Best regards and looking forward to your new articles.
Thank you for this gracious and very enlightening reply! I am flattered you have taken such time and care over this comment. I had never seen that photograph or heard those details about his funeral. As an artist myself, I know that I consciously adopt certain topics and quote particular sources because of an intellectual and aesthetic preference. So, I very willing to accept that Beksinski is a more complicated man and artist than as he is often portrayed.
I am planning to write more on Beksinski and your rounded and informed view is just what I need. Would you like to send me your email address via direct messages on Twitter or LinkedIn? If you prefer, you can email me via the email address below, which I shall delete as soon as you contact me.
.
No problem. I am happy to help!
I read and watched the interviews with Beksiński quite a few years ago.
After our conversation, I noticed that some of the clips are available on the Internet with English subtitles. Just to add - he was a loner but had a great command of spoken Polish, which, considering his "life aside", was quite unusual.
PS Sorry for the late reply. I prefer using this account on my PC rather than mobile.
Best regards,