To the Scythers of Gdynia

Technique: cast bronze

Dimensions: 170 cm (H), 110 cm (W), 40 cm (D)

Object: The shape of this abstract cast bronze composition resembles an upside-down heart propped up on a cuboid plinth. The sculpture was set on a high granite pedestal. The statue is cut in half from the top all the way down to the plinth, creating a visible narrow crevice that divides the work into two equal parts. Around the middle part of the composition there is a dark, coarse stripe, which contrasts with the smooth, bright gold surface of the rest. It features a relief depiction of groups of fighting figures. The figures are sketchy and devoid of details. The figurative part depicts historical events – fights with the participation of Gdynia workers during military operations in 1939. Since 1976, To the Scythers of Gdynia has formed part of the open-air sculpture gallery at the Oliwa Park. Following an attempted robbery in 2008, the statue has been moved in front of the Abbots’ Palace – the seat of the National Museum in Gdańsk’s Modern Art Department. The work is not signed.

Place: The sculpture is integrated into the natural landscape of the northern part of the Adam Mickiewicz Park in Oliwa. It forms part of the Gallery of Contemporary Gdańsk Sculpture from the collection of the National Museum in Gdańsk, created on the initiative of the Museum, the District Board of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) and the City Council. The outdoor gallery, showcasing works by artists from different generations, was officially opened on 30 March 1976.

Information about the author:

Zbigniew Zabrocki (b. 1933 in Krasiczyn, d. 2015 in Gdańsk) studied at the Faculty of Sculpture of the State High School of Visual Arts (PWSSP) in Gdańsk – the present-day Academy of Fine Arts. He graduated from Prof. Stanisław Horno-Popławski’s studio in 1960. Starting from 1960, he worked at the Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Gdańsk University of Technology. Zabrocki is the author of works such as a plaque commemorating Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Starogard Gdański, a plaque commemorating Mayakovsky in Wejherowo, a plaque commemorating H. Sucharski in Gdańsk.

Condition of the object: partially damaged, awaiting renovation

Owner/guardian: The National Museum in Gdańsk

Author of the entry: Andrzej Zagrobelny