As one of the members of the Chapter of the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal, he had a significant influence on promoting the most outstanding artists combining art with spirituality.
Professor Leszek Mądzik’s works touched the deepest chords of the human soul, touching on themes of transience, the religious and spiritual. He created the theatre of images, in which silence and the play of light played a key role in building an atmosphere of metaphysical reflection.; his extraordinary artistic sensitivity, original visual language and unwavering consistency in creating art have made him one of the most important contemporary theatre creators.
– In 2008, Professor Leszek Mądzik was awarded the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal during the International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious SACROEXPO – recalls Andrzej Mochoń, president of Targi Kielce. – He was awarded this distinction for his extraordinary ability for introducing spectators into life’s religious space of mystery and death, for artistic sensitivity and creation of the image theatre
One of the events that left an indelible mark on the memory of visitors to the Sacroexpo Exhibition was the 2017 exhibition of sacred photography by Professor Leszek Mądzik, entitled “Sacrum Places.” Leszek Mądzik’s works are the fruit of the Artistic Stage of the Catholic University of Lublin journeys to Peru, Belgium, Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, Belarus, Ukraine and different corners of Poland. The selection of photographs focused mainly on the Passion theme, showing the sacred in places of particular importance for man and his spiritual experience. Professor Leszek Mądzik visited the exhibition in the company of other winners of the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal, including the outstanding film director Krzysztof Zanussi, the artist photographer Claudia Henzler and the sculptor Wincenty Kućma.
For over five decades of his professional and artistic life, Professor Leszek Mądzik has set new directions in theatre and visual art, leaving an indelible mark on the minds of audiences around the world. He was the author of numerous performances, stage designs, posters, exhibitions and publications devoted to theatre art. Professor Leszek Mądzik’s legacy will remain alive, inspiring future generations of artists and art lovers. His theatre of images, permeated with a mystical atmosphere, will continue to lead viewers into the depths of human existence, spiritual searches and reflection on the meaning of life. The artist died on 18 March 2025.
The Per Artem Ad Deum Medal is one of the most important distinctions awarded to outstanding creators and intellectuals whose activities combine art with spirituality. The fellowship of 33 winners of the medal so far include the greatest creators in the art world, and among them Wojciech Kilar, Ennio Morricone, Mario Botta, Krzysztof Penderecki, Michał Heller, Tomáš Halík, Giuseppe Tornatore, Anselm Grün and Kiko Argüello. The 26th Sacroexpo Exhibition, from 2 to 4 June at Targi Kielce, will witness another outstanding creator joining this honorable mileius.