Polish artist recognized in Italy. His first museum will be built there.
The world's first museum dedicated to Igor Mitoraj, one of the greatest Polish sculptors, is being built in the heart of Tuscany.
The world's first museum dedicated to Igor Mitoraj , one of Poland's most recognizable artists , whose sculptures adorn squares and museums from Paris to Mexico City, will soon open in Pietrasanta , a charming town in Tuscany . Why Tuscany ? The picturesque region has been the artist's home since the 1980s.
Pietrasanta, an Italian town in Tuscany famous for its marble. License: Tommaso Pante / UnsplashIgor Mitoraj was born in Oederan, Germany, in 1944. His mother was Polish, and he spent his childhood in Grojec, Lesser Poland, before studying painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków under the supervision of Tadeusz Kantor . It was this contact with the avant-garde master that had a profound impact on his sensibility. Ultimately, however, it was sculpture, not painting, that proved to be his artistic language.
In the late 1960s, he moved to France, and his career gained momentum. In 1976, his first solo exhibition took place in Paris.
Monumental, fragmentary figures, inspired by antiquity , became his trademark.
Tuscany - Igor Mitoraj's second homeSince the 1980s, the artist has lived in Pietrasanta , where he established his studio and found his creative space. He wasn't alone, however. Pietrasanta is a true mecca for sculptors – the area is renowned for its extraordinary Carrara marble .
In 2001, Igor Mitoraj was awarded honorary citizenship of Pietrasanta , and after his death in 2014, he was buried in the local cemetery. Residents decided to further honor his legacy with a museum .
Igor Mitoraj Museum in TuscanyThe glass-walled museum building was built on Via Oberdan , in a former market hall from the 1960s. Its original structure has been preserved, giving the entire structure a minimalist look. A monumental sculpture by Mitoraj can already be seen on the lawn in front of the building, and the interior will soon feature dozens of his works.
The museum is scheduled to open by the end of this year.
Igor Mitoraj on the Krakow Market SquareThe entire project was supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture under the "Great Cultural Property Projects" program. The exhibition is being designed by the Igor Mitoraj Foundation , which emphasizes its goal of creating a space that is open, modern, and friendly to people with disabilities.
The museum will not only honor Mitoraj's work but also become a showcase for Pietrasanta , which is vying to be the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art in 2027. It is also the first time a Polish artist has had his own museum in Italy .
Igor Mitoraj in PolandThe works of Igor Mitoraj have also become a permanent part of the Polish cultural landscape:
- Krakow - in the courtyard in front of the Main Market Square stands the famous sculpture "Eros Bound" , a huge head lying on the pavement, one of the artist's most recognizable works.
- Poznań - at the Old Brewery you can also admire his monumental works, including the "Moonlight" sculpture.
