Stanisław Niemczyk awarded with the “Per Artem ad Deum” medal

It is hard to speak about architecture. I am sorry that I cannot show you the projects which I have realised and which are granted with this major distinction. There would be too little space at this exhibition. Visit us in Silesia, the place I come from, and see them for yourselves – said Niemczyk upon reception of the “Per Artem ad Deum” medal from the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland His Excellency Archbishop Celestino Migliore. The function was held on the first day of the SACROEXPO fair at 2 p.m.

The medal awarded by the Pontifical Council for Culture has been awarded for the seventh time to the artist who brings people closer to sacrum through art. The “Per Artem ad Deum” medal – through art to God was presented to Stanisław Nimczyk – the artist, the architect who is deeply in love with beauty, the creator of unusual churches.

The only place in the world where this exceptional award is presented is The International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO, the trade fair which has been held in Targi Kielce for twelve years. The last year’s laureate was Krzysztof Zanussi. Two years before this special prize went into the hands of Wojciech Kilar, in 2008 Leszek Mądzik, the director and creator of The Visual Stage of KUL was awarded with the distinction. And among the laureates there are also: the distinguished sculptor, the professor of Fine Art Academy in Warsaw Stanisław Słonina, professor Dobrosław Bagiński – the sculptor and designer, the leturer at the technical university in Lublin as well as the “”Furdyna” workshop from Cracow.

This year’s laureate was awarded with the SARP Honorary Award in 1998 and in the year 2000 the Pope John Paul II presented him with Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice distinction. Niemczyk has become famous because of his extraordinary churches; they are built for long years and the local parish members are deeply engaged in the process. The churches are characterised with genuine beauty and the decorative details are often created straight on the construction site. Two mist famous realisations are the Church of Jesus the Saviour in Czechowice-Dziedzice (1995-1998, one of the icons of Polish architecture) and the Holy Spirit Church, the tent-shaped temple in Tychy (1979-1983). Tychy is the place where another unusual project has been carried out since 2000 – the Franciscan church and monastery assembly.