A Life Shaped by History
Born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1913, Jerzy Stocki lived through a century of profound upheaval. His life and work were deeply connected to the heavy weight of Polish history, particularly the tragedies that unfolded during and after the Second World War. The experiences of his people, marked by displacement and loss, found their way into the very materials he chose to shape.
Stocki passed away in 1997, leaving behind a body of work that often looked back at the scars left on the landscape and the soul of his nation. His art was not merely about form, but about memory and the preservation of names and places that might otherwise be lost to time.
The Weight of Memory in Metal and Wood
Stocki’s approach to sculpture and relief work often involved a tactile, physical engagement with his medium. He worked with wood, iron, and embossed sheet metal, creating pieces that felt grounded and permanent. One of his notable works, a bas-relief created in 1986, demonstrates this heavy, commemorative intent. This piece, titled Pieta, uses a standing pose to convey its message, featuring a rectangular plaque made of wood covered with embossed metal that has been cast and chiseled.
In this work, the artist included specific, harrowing details to honor those who suffered in remote regions. The background of the piece bears inscriptions of locations such as:
- Uzbekistan
- Kolyma
- Arkhangelsk
- Siberia
- Kitaba
Through these names, Stocki anchored his art to the reality of those deported and starved on Russian soil. The piece also carries a separate plaque featuring the Polish Eagle, serving as a quiet memorial to the men, women, and children who perished during the era of 1939-1953.
Form and Material
Beyond his commemorative reliefs, Stocki also explored more abstract territories. His ability to manipulate iron allowed him to create large, abstract forms that relied on the strength of the material itself. These sculptures, often signed on the base, show a different side of his practice—one focused on the interplay of shape and weight in space.
Whether working on a deeply personal memorial or an abstract iron form, Stocki’s work remains tied to a sense of presence. His pieces, such as those found in the Polish Museum in Rapperswil, continue to hold the stories of the era he lived through.
