Art’s Entanglement in History. And the Related Problems in Interpretation, Cognition and Evaluation: the Case of Wiktor Tołkin’s Artistic Achievements

Abstract

This paper focuses on the problem how history can influence interpretation and evaluation of a work of art. A selection of works by Wiktor Tołkin serve as the basis for case study. The first case is Tołkin's monument in the former Stutthof concentration camp. The second is the Majdanek memorial for the victims of the camp. The third case is Tołkin’s victory memorial in Darłowo and the fourth is his monument commemorating Poland’s vows at the Baltic seaside in Kołobrzeg. The last two cases are a monument of gratitude to the Soviet Army in Sztum and the bust of Janek Krasicki in Gdansk.
Wiktor Tołkin’s life and artistic work has been strongly related with the city of Gdańsk. He belongs to the generation of Poles called the Generation of Columbuses. His life is a perfect example of how one's own experiences and achievements can be determined by the unpredictable turns of history. Dramatic and life-threatening changes that Tołkin has gone through manifest themselves in his artistic achievements. The artist has created his own language of artistic expression to be able to talk about his own life experiences, but also to reflect upon society and culture in general. The author of this paper pays special attention to the process of artistic creation, with particular focus on the aspect of Tołkin’s search for suitable symbols or metaphors to help him express the message of his art in the way he planned before starting work. The paper also analyses the artistic means that Tołkin has employed, since they influence greatly the interpretation and reception of his works.