Edition 6

 

The art school project in Zamość was among the winners for the first time and is one of the few sculpture concepts in the history of the “Wena” Grant Program Competitions.

 

The project’s primary goal is to provide young people with a new creative perspective and to develop their artistic skills. It offers an experience of exploring the diversity and uniqueness of the Roztocze region through art.

 

 

 

The project was conceived by Jacek Kołodziejczyk, a teacher of sculpture and woodcarving. Preparatory and organizational work took place from September 9 to 26, 2024. The teacher formed a project team involving students and teachers.

 

 

 

The student team was divided into four groups. Each group consisted of four students, for a total of sixteen people, representing the following specializations: artistic ceramics, woodcarving, graphic design, and artistic photography. Each group had a leader who coordinated the work within their respective specialization and ensured smooth communication among team members. Thanks to this approach, the students had the opportunity to collaborate, learn from one another, and develop their skills across a variety of artistic fields.

 

 

 

On October 3, 2024, the students participated in a workshop with sculptor Piotr Twardowski at the Prof. Marian Konieczny Sculpture Gallery in the Zamość Museum.

 

 

 

A Meeting with Sculptor Piotr Twardowski

 

 

 

 

A Meeting with Sculptor Piotr Twardowski

 

 

 

The meeting was organized specifically for the newly formed youth art group, which will create and carry out the planned project. Thanks to the meeting and lecture, the young people had the opportunity to personally get to know the outstanding figure of Piotr Twardowski, a sculptor renowned for his experience and personality, who directly presented his exceptionally original work and also sensitized and inspired the young audience by referring directly to their future artistic project, says Jacek Kołodziejczyk, the lead teacher.

 

 

 

The next stage of the project was a field trip on October 21, 2024. The students took part in a guided hike around Zwierzyniec with guide Janusz Kapecki.

 

 

 

A guided field trip through Roztocze with guide and photographer Janusz Kapecki

 

 

 

I had two goals in mind when organizing the hike. The first was to draw inspiration directly from the nature and landscape of Roztocze, and the second was to create a photographic record produced by the project participants. After the hike, we all gathered around a campfire. Moments like these foster creative bonds among the team of young artists, says Jacek Kołodziejczyk, the supervising teacher.

 

 

 

 

A guided field trip through Roztocze with guide and photographer Janusz Kapecki

 

 

 

 

 

A guided field trip through Roztocze with guide and photographer Janusz Kapecki

 

 

 

 

In January 2025, at the Roztocze National Park Education and Museum Center, a project team took advantage of an educational lesson.

 

 

 

Following a study visit to Roztocze, which served as a source of inspiration for the students, they began creating an art installation.

 

 

 

The bas-relief composition and its shape, inspired by a topographic map of Roztocze, were the students’ own choice and idea. The work combines four techniques: woodcarving, ceramics, photography, and graphic design; and as we know from teachers, combining these often disparate fields is not easy.

 

 

 

All these experiences led us to the stage where we began designing the initial concept of our work. A key idea of this project - though at the same time demanding and challenging - was to bring together the diversity of these four groups of young people into a single cohesive whole and ultimately create a single project that would also reflect their individual diversity. To this end, we created designs (sketches) of our initial concept, which was then transferred to 1:1 scale templates, says Jacek Kołodziejczyk.

 

 

 

Sketches

 

 

 

 

Sketches

 

 

 

 

Roztocze National Park is a partner in the project

 

 

 

 

 

The project involved creating a relief sculpture incorporating collage elements to present Roztocze as a natural region of exceptional character. The work will consist of modular elements - “artistic puzzles” - assigned to specific participants. The pieces can be displayed separately or assembled into a single whole.

 

 

 

Large projects are created through collaboration, and it is possible to produce magnificent, innovative artistic objects. One must take risks, experiment with materials, and inspiration need not be sought very far. What is most valuable is closest to us, says Jacek Kołodziejczyk, the lead instructor.

 

 

 

Jacek Kołodziejczyk, lead instructor and practicing sculptor

 

 

 

 

 

Project leaders - students representing the four specializations offered at the school:

artistic ceramics, woodcarving, graphic design, and artistic photography.

 

 

 

 

Creating a map in the form of a brochure

 

 

 

 

On June 18, 2025, the PLSP in Zamość hosted the project’s ceremonial finale, combined with an opening reception showcasing its tangible results - a bas-relief, posters, and documentation of the concept. The vision of the lead teacher and the project team materialized and transformed into an artistic map in the form of a bas-relief, serving as the students’ response to the competition assignment.

 

 

 

The opening was presided over by Marzena Tadeusz, the school principal

 

 

 

The composition of the bas-relief and its shape, inspired by a topographic map of Roztocze, were conceived and designed by the young people. The work combines four techniques: woodcarving, ceramics, photography, and graphic design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detail of a bas-relief

 

 

 

 

 

The project finale at PLSP Zamość. From left: Wiesława Giedrojć of the Starak Family Foundation, Jacek Kołodziejczyk, the lead teacher, and Marzena Tadeusz, the school principal.

 

 

 

 

The completed project demonstrates high artistic value. We heard from both students and teachers that certain artistic techniques and approaches were used experimentally for the first time. As the students say, the project helped them get to know and rediscover Roztocze, even though they live there. Every aspect of creating this collaborative work was a completely new experience, going beyond the school curriculum. Despite the difficulties that arose, the repeated attempts, and the experiments - such as transferring photographs onto ceramics and wood - the process sparked the students’ imagination and led to a multitude of interpretations. In the project, participants experienced working under time pressure and learned responsibility and consistency in carrying out their tasks.

 

 

COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONTEST THEME: “A 1:1 Scale Map”

 

The interplay between art and nature showcasing the beauty of Roztocze, reflected in an art installation and a map of the trail highlighting the park’s unique sites.

 

 

 

 

 

PROJECT TEAM

 

 

 

Group 1 - Graphic Design, Artistic Supervisor: Mateusz Kitka

Joanna Dziuba 3a

Julia Górska 3a

Aleksandra Wiktoria Matejek 3a

Aleksandra Płocharz 3a

 

Group 2 - Woodcarving, Artistic Supervisor: Jacek Kołodziejczyk

Brigida Róża Siemko 3a

Maura Więcek 3a

Aleksandra Wójcik 3a

Łukasz Ćmiel 4a

Gabriela Szynkarczuk 4a

 

Group 3 – Ceramics, Art Instructor: Bartłomiej Sęczawa

Wiktoria Ewelina Łosiewicz 4a

Julia Repeć 4a

Zuzanna Wiatrowska 4a

 

Group 4 – Photography, Artistic Supervisor: Paweł Malczenko

Gaia Ćwikła 4b

Zuzanna Głąb 4b

Wiktoria Aleksandra Mazurek 4b

Martyna Anastazja Mojsym 4b

 

Project Coordinator – Tomasz Bełech

 

Technical and artistic supervisors of the project: Konrad Makowski, Wojciech Duklewski, Michał Mazurkiewicz

 

Project author (supervisor): Jacek Kołodziejczyk

 

 

 

 

 

TEACHER

 

 

Jacek Kołodziejczyk, teacher of sculpture and woodcarving, graduate of the State School of Fine Arts in Zamość, graduate of the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. Second place at the National Sculpture Symposium in Myślęcinek (2002–2003), recipient of a scholarship from the Minister of Culture for artistic achievements (2003). He has exhibited his works both in Poland and abroad, including in New York (2006). He has participated in artistic projects such as “The whole place is dark and we see” in Wrocław (2009). His works have been presented at festivals, such as the Street Art Silesia Festival in Zabrze (2009) and the “Szczebrzeszyn – Capital of the Polish Language” Festival (2016).