Own technique, oil, canvas
Dimensions: 20 x 20 cm, 39 x 39 cm framed
Signature: on the back
A subtle, symbolic composition inspired by the aesthetics of contemporary icons. Simplified angelic silhouettes with clearly marked, gilded nimbuses emerge from the multi-layered painting matter, building a mood of concentration and spiritual contemplation. The work represents the trend of modern "shadow" type icons - a form extremely rare and unique on the market of sacred art.
The icon is created on canvas, into which are pasted authentic fragments of old canvases from the restoration of historic churches and Orthodox churches. The author, who has a doctorate in historic preservation, obtains them with the permission and blessing of the clergy, respecting their original sacred purpose. This gives the work a special spiritual dimension of an "image with a soul" - already present in the space of prayer and liturgy, and therefore symbolically "prayed over."
The whole work has been framed in a unique velour gilt passe-partout and a classical gold frame, which harmoniously emphasize the sacred character of the composition and its three-dimensional, relief structure.
The income from the purchase of the painting is earmarked for the restoration of the Orthodox church in Baligrod - the artist actively supports conservation work, donating funds from the sale of her works for this purpose.
The work on display, by Małgorzata Dawidiuk - one of the most respected contemporary icon writers in Poland - is a unique combination of the Byzantine icon tradition with the author's modern painting interpretation.
The artist was born in 1967 in Wisznice, Podlasie. In 1994, she graduated from the I. E. Repin Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, at the Faculty of Painting and Conservation, with a specialization in icons - one of the most demanding and prestigious artistic paths. She is the founder and head of the conservation and art studio "IKOS".
Malgorzata Dawidiuk is the author of numerous sacred implementations: icons, iconostasis and polychromies, including those in Cholovice near Krasiczyn, Koszalin, Krynica, Olsztyn, Zamienice near Legnica and in Niagou, Slovakia. She is also the co-author of the wall paintings in the Chapel of the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Krakow-Lagiewniki. Her works are in private and museum collections in Poland and abroad.
The artist's work grows out of two sources:
- many years of practice as a conservator of works of sacred art,
- deep roots in the canon of icons.
Initially, the artist created faithful copies and travesties of ancient icons, maintaining strict rules for "writing" sacred images - along with spiritual preparation and respect for theological tradition. Over time, the canon became a starting point for her, rather than a limitation - giving way to authorial invention and a contemporary form of expression.
A special place in her oeuvre is occupied by icon-shadows and later realizations on canvas, in which fragments of original old canvases - found during restoration work in Orthodox churches - are pasted onto a new stretcher. These are authentic relics of old churches, carrying the memory of place, prayer and history. From individual figures here emerge multithreaded figural scenes, building a narrative on the borderline between the sacred and contemporary sensibilities.
The artist combines technical mastery, conservation experience and academic background - after studying in St. Petersburg, she received a doctorate in art from the Radom University of Technology and Humanities, which confirms her high standing as both an artist and a scholar of iconography.
Collector and social value
The purchase of a featured painting or certified Art Print is not only an investment in the work of an established artist, but also a real support for cultural heritage.
