artist, sculptor

Marek Aniołkowski

Apparently, you had a rather unusual concept for your last project? Can you lift the veil of secrecy?

I don't know if an unusual concept was the result of a trial. It is difficult for me to define the genesis of the project. I also don't know where it will take me or what the ending will be. The idea is constantly evolving. Where did the idea for casting the bell come from? Well, it probably started with a little crisis that I was going through. At a certain stage in life, a man tries to apply meaning to his past experiences. A kind of existential discussion with yourself. I was at that moment and then a bell rang in my head [laughs]. Many important events in the life of a person, or a given community, are accentuated by the chimes of the bell. This sound accompanies us during many celebrations, calls us to a performance in the theatre, announces the guest standing on our doorstep. But until recently, the life of a specific community was focussed on one bell located in the church tower. It was his sound that set the rhythm of the day and called for prayer. He announced the sacrament of baptism and bade farewell to the dead. He accompanied people in the most important ceremonies (weddings). But he also warned of any threats. In a way, the bell was a member of the community that strengthened the bond between them. And now, when the development of civilization made our life look different, we still cultivate a lifestyle measured by the beats of a bell heart. An interesting issue is the anthropomorphisation of the bell. To this day, this instrument is traditionally named, it has a beating, although iron (usually) heart.

What do you want to say with your work?

I wanted my work to be oneiric. On the one hand, it would tell a story written with my emotions, and on the other hand, it would leave the recipient a lot of freedom in interpreting the content. In the creative process, I did not assume the creation of a coherent, rational whole, I wanted to avoid creating a clear form that could impose a certain line of thought. This is not a novel with the main character torn by emotions. It is poetry, a poem where my action is only a stepping-stone from which the recipient is immersed in the stream of his own emotions and interpretations.

Could it be an inspiration from Tarkowski?

It's hard to say, "Andrey Rublev" lives in my subconscious for sure. The bell motif is indirectly related to my work, but it is only a starting point and the narrative goes in a completely different direction.

Where's the "man" in the bell?

The man in the bell? The bell in the man? I see a lot of analogies here. Beginning with the semantics and terminology - the elements of the bell: crown, mantle, mouth, heart - these are words inextricably linked with man. In a bell foundry, the moment of pouring liquid bronze in the mold is called the "birth of the bell". In our culture, it was common to consecrate bells, not only church bells, but also secular ones. The form of this ceremony resembled a baptism. The anthropomorphization of the bell, its causes and origins are very interesting to me. I discovered an aspect of spirituality somewhere in this. Mysticism. The beating heart of a bell is like the beating of a human heart - it enlivens matter. Earlier I mentioned my fascination with magical realism.

And it is the bell with its mystery that fits perfectly into this world. Like a metronome, it measures short fragments of reality, weaving them into melodies.

Just as Bresson's theory of the decisive moment, where the climactic moment captured on film tells about the past, present and future, the rhythm of the bell ringing is a continuous rhythm, having no end or beginning. Beginning with the swinging of the bell - a silent movement in which we wait for the heart to touch the "mouth" of the bell, and ending with the vibrations and resonance of the sound after the last strike, the strange moment in which something ended, but still lasts.

You've talked a lot about your inspirations. Who has had the greatest influence on the shape of your work?

Honestly, I wasn't looking for inspiration in the work of other artists. Maybe someone somewhere will find a common denominator linking my sculpture with the work of other sculptors, but I must admit here are my original searches. Jacek Kaczmarski in the piece " To the Muse supplication by quill sharpening " perfectly put my thoughts into words. Undoubtedly, my interests, experiences, exhibitions, and galleries I visited had an impact on me, but I avoided recreational activities.

Daughter of memory you are - I know

and so many verses are remembered,

That shout will the wise bodies

Where from each phrase is ripped off.

You’ve known so many great ones

-their preferences and wants -

Maybe I too can from your body

Reach the honest lovers’ shiver.

How long did the work take?

The concept stage itself and thinking about the whole situation took me several months. I was wondering if it is worth dealing with this issue and how to approach it. Then there were talks with specialists. Later, choosing the right material alloy for the bell with advice from specialists from the Częstochowa University of Technology. Then the construction of a special casting crucible. Almost two weeks of work in the bell foundry, culminating in the casting of the bell. During the casting process, my friend Maciej Żelechowski-Stoń, the conservator and restorer of historical objects, took care of film and photographic documentation. Napedy Leczna took care of the kinetic side responsible for the movement and automation in the installation. Next there was the assembly of the whole thing on a stand and working with the composer - Przemysław Pacek from the Chopin University of Music. Finally, I started looking for the right space for the exhibition and the right arrangement. Sometimes I felt like a project coordinator.

The project seems to be interdisciplinary. Was it hard to combine all these areas?

It was certainly not an easy task. It was certainly an interesting and rewarding challenge. I started with meetings and conversations with people who live for bells, with bells, and “from” bells.

It seems to be a primitive musical instrument, a simple object, but believe me - a fascinating microcosm revolves around the bells. I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Piotr Jamski from the Campanology Studio of the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences, I talked to Mrs. Agata Felczyńska, a historian from the bell foundry in Taciszów (it is probably the longest-running family business in Poland).

At the end, I will leave the most important - cooperation with the church bell foundry of the Kruszewski family in Węgrów. Cooperation with this small, family-owned company that has been operating for over 100 years will stay with me forever. During a visit to the bell foundry in Węgrów, I got a wonderful proposal to create my bell. One condition was set for me - I must actively participate in every stage of the bell making. An amazing gift for someone interested in the technique and technology of foundry. During my stay - together with, I must admit honestly, unusuallywonderful people - I had the opportunity to see and feelhow a bell is made. It is a process that cannot be learned in any school, at any university - knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.

However, in my project, casting the bell was not the end of the job. At this point, I must mention the great commitment of the employees of the Napedy Leczna company, who undertook the implementation of automation responsible for the kinetic side of my installation. 

What was the most difficult stage of work on the project?

The whole process was a new experience for me and I was learning something new at every stage. The very inextricable oneiric correlation of a human being with a bell provides many challenges. For me, the bell itself is mystical, but by giving it personal qualities, it actually starts to live.

If you knew as much as now, would you undertake such a project again?

Of course! I believe that this project was worth the time, energy and financial investment. I managed to convince many people to follow it, without whose help the project would not be possible. This project has many parents.

Will you be able to use the experience you have gained during its preparation in your future work?

I think so. Personally, I enjoy working with people. It always creates added value. The knowledge gained in the bell foundry when I was admitted to the arcana of this almost forgotten craft seems priceless. I also learned to draw from various fields, combine arts, crafts and science. I learned to coordinate activities, to infect my artistic thoughts with people who are not related to art on a daily basis. It is a very valuable experience.

Aluminum is not a popular bell material? Why did you decide on such material?

It is not a bell! As I mentioned before, a bell is not only an object, but an energy it radiates. A full-fledged bell has personality. My object will not be a bell in the strict sense, because it is heartless(clapper less) , it is merely an echo of its archetype. But will it be incomplete because of this? Absolutely not, the lack of this element is only apparent. It does not have a heart in the physical realm, but the heart beats nonetheless. The sound of the heartbeat emanates from all sides, it irritates, penetrates, there is no focal point.

Why aluminium? Well, I wanted to break a certain convention, go beyond the scheme. I focused on the idea of ​​the bell, not the matter itself. Aluminium is a fairly new material, it is not intended for traditional bell-foundry. The metal was considered magical and its price reached its weight in gold. By breaking the rules of craftsmanship, I highlighted the artistic message. The material used meant that the "bell" will never be a musical instrument.

So the bell is the crowning achievement of the entire creative process. Is this the end of a certain chapter?

I prefer to think that this is the beginning of the next one. I am richer with knowledge and experience, but I also have many thoughts and new ideas that are waiting for implementation.

Thank you for the comprehensive interview, for honesty and openness, for sharing your emotions.

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