Monument to John Paul II

Technique: granite sculpture

Dimensions: 4.8 m (H), 20 t (weight)

Object: The statue of John Paul II was designed by Mariusz Kulpa and executed by a team of stonemasons under the direction of Czesław Gajda. The sculpture is made of red-and-black Finnish granite according to a plaster cast Kulpa created in his workshop. The curatorial committee chaired by Archbishop Tadeusz Gocłowski chose this one out of the three designs proposed by the artist. Inspired by the words of the Gospel of Matthew, Kulpa tried to incorporate two extreme concepts in his design. The Pope’s firmness, toughness and unyieldingness are symbolized by the material, granite – a stone rarely used in sculpture due to its hardness, resistance to scratches and abrasion, all of which make it difficult to process. The concept of the monument also includes depicting the Pope as the head of the Church, the main shepherd and the rock of faith, which is reflected in the monumental yet subtle portrayal of John Paul II. The sculpture depicts him facing north; the pope is shown in full figure, dressed in liturgical vestments with a mitre on his head (its ribbons fall on his back). The pope’s right hand is placed over his heart, he holds a metal pastoral in his left hand. The robes are rendered in a schematic way, delicately outlined in granite so as not to disturb the monumental character of the sculpture. The hands and facial features of the Pope, though still simplified and idealized, are depicted in a more realistic manner; the Pope’s face is serene, with a slightly marked smile. In portraying John Paul II, the artist relied on photographs and his own memories from 1987, intending to capture the Pope at that very moment of his life.

Place: The statue of John Paul II is located in the Zaspa Rozstaje district. It is placed on the western side of the Divine Providence Church, near the main entrance to the upper church, where the famous mass took place during the pilgrimage of John Paul II to Poland in 1987. Witold Florkiewicz designed the landscaping around the monument. On the south side, two semi-circular clinker brick walls were placed behind the sculpture, closing the space around it. They feature quotations from the Gospel of Matthew in the form of bronze casts: “Thou art Peter (meaning rock), and upon this rock I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18). On the eastern wall there is a quotation in Polish with a schematic cast of a fish, the symbol of Jesus, while on the western wall the fragment of the Gospel is quoted in Latin, thus symbolically referring to the history of the Church. These words are the main inspiration and guiding idea for the form of the monument.

Information about the author: Mariusz Kulpa (b. 1946 in Leżajsk) is a sculptor, draughtsman, graphic artist, educator and academic lecturer. He studied at the Faculty of Sculpture of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, graduating from Prof. Hajdecki’s studio in 1974. He received the title of professor in 2002. Kulpa has taken part in solo and group exhibitions in Poland and abroad. He has won many awards and distinctions at various art competitions. He designed seven monuments erected in urban spaces, including The Polish Nation’s Gift to Nagasaki (Japan, 1986), a replica of this sculpture in Gdańsk (The Flower of Life and Peace Statue), and the monument to King Władysław Jagiełło in Leżajsk (1997). His works are held in private and museum collections. In 2012, Kulpa received the “Meritorious for Polish Culture” Decoration of Honour of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

Condition of the object: no remarks

Owner/guardian: Church of the Divine Providence in Zaspa – Archdiocese of Gdańsk, Deanery Gdańsk Przymorze Wielkie

Author of the entry: Dorota Kucharczyk