The opening of the exhibition: Axis mundi: roadside shrines & crosses

Author's photographic activity is focused in the project on recording the local communities in the Małopolska (Lesser Poland) region in the context of the disappearing custom of prayers at roadside chapel-shrines and crosses, which are one of the most typical elements of the Polish cultural landscape [...]. The project is not a catalogue of the shrines. The essence of the series is a reflection on the relation: man-nature-sacrum. The space (landscape) is important here as a factor shaping spiritual experiences and community bonds.

The tradition of prayers at the small religious architecture has its source both in the Christianity and pre-Christian beliefs. Due to the custom’s provenance, the space plays an important role. The visual analysis includes topography, environment, nature of the premises, the appearance and behaviour of the faithful, as well as aspects related to perception of time in its anthropological dimension: cyclicity and linearity. The varied topography and the surrounding of chapels and crosses brings to mind the idea of the world centre – axis mundi, popularised by the famous religious scholar, Mircea Eliade. In his reflection on the essence of religion, he drew attention to the manifold forms of the manifestation of sacred, analysing it in a broad anthropological context (archetypes, myths and symbols) [...]. Krzysztof Ligęza

Axis mundi: roadside shrines & crosses exhibition will be presented until February 13, 2022.

KRZYSZTOF LIGĘZA is a visual artist based in Southern Poland. In his work mainly focused on photography (documentary & fine-art). In the area of his interest, a special place is  taken by the relation: man-nature-sacred as well as the semantics of the image. Mostly focused on landscape, as the most open (physical and semantic) field, but does not avoid any other -scapes. Rereading the famous phrase “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” is pleased that in the 21st century there are still plenty of them. Author and participant of solo & group exhibitions shown in Poland and abroad (Slovakia, United Kingdom). Recipient of annual scholarship of the Ministry of Culture & National Heritage of Poland (2018, 2022).


The meeting will be held under a sanitary regime. Please confirm your attendance before 13 January by phone: 18 53 40 663, 18 53 40 679 - form Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., e-mail: u.modliborek@mcksokol.pl or through the contact form available on the current page.