The  Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been awarded by the Pontifical Council for since 2005; it is bestowed to those who enhance dialogue between the diversity of cultures in the contemporary world. The gala ceremony featured the laureates: Paweł Łukaszewski for “composing creativity and the quest for religious music essence”, Jerzy Jan Skąpski for “work which translates the vision into artistic forms” and Leszek Sosnowski for “Polish literature development enhancement, with the particular recognition for his publication of a multi-volume series of books presenting St. John Paul II Pontificate history”.

Paweł Łukaszewski is a Polish composer, conductor, academic teacher and musical life animator.  Łukaszewski is the laureate of numerous distinctions. In 2000 he was awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Fine Arts in Musical Composition, in 2006 a was awarded post-doctoral degree of Habilitated Doctor.  Since December 2010, he has been a research and teaching professor. On 28 July 2014 President of the Republic of Poland nominated Łukaszewski a full professor of musical arts.

His works have been performed at over one hundred festivals at home and abroad, including England, Argentina, Belgium, Belarus, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Spain, Iceland, Israel, Canada, South Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Germany , Peru, Russia, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Vatican City and Italy. In the 2011/2012 artistic season, Paweł Łukaszewski is a resident-composer at the Warsaw National Philharmonic. Łukaszewski is also a member of the festivals’ artistic boards, including the International Festival of Sacred Music „Gaude Mater” in Częstochowa. He also sits on jury panels of composers’ competitions, including those in Arezzo, Moscow, Bucharest and Cologne.  Łukaszewski is the  “Musica Sacra” Warsaw-Praga Cathedral Choir director and the head of “Musica Sacra Edition” music publishing house.

Łukaszewski is regarded one of the most outstanding contemporary religious music composers. His work has been appreciated globally,  the composer has been mainly recognised for composer’s creativity which features religions profoundness.

Jerzy Jan Skąpski is a painter, graphic designer and stained glass designer, one of the most outstanding stained glass makers in Poland, he is also an eminent expert and admirer of religious art.  His artistic interests also lie in easel and wall painting, posters and illustrations,  however, stained glass designs is the priority.  Jerzy Skąpski’s stained glass windows can be admired in Polish and foreign churches and chapels, including those in Sweden, Russia and France. In Poland, Jerzy Skąpski’s stained glass windows are found in  the Warsaw Church of Divine Providence in Ochota, in the Church of Our Lady the Queen of Poland – the Lord’s Ark, in Gdynia’s Our Lady of Częstochowa Navy Garrison Church, in the Churches of Podhale, in the Saint Maximilian Church in Oświęcim, in the Saint Pius Church in Ruda Śląska, in the Holy Cross Church in Zakopane, in the chapel of the prison in Montelupich Street in Krakow and many other – there is over 300 works in total.

Jerzy Skąpski is the author of Europe’s largest stained glass window –  this is a triangular image of 177 square meters, 18.5 meters in height. The stained glass window is mounted in St. Adalbert’s Church’s front glass wall of the temple,  with Saint Adalbert as the main figure. The saint wearing an episcopal tiara holds an oar in one hand and a cross in the other.

Leszek Sosnowski won 57 Polish and international awards, and among them the European Leader Awad 2005, Totus Award 2011, Pro Patria Medal 2017, Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland 2018.

In 1996, he founded the “Biały Kruk” publishing house; Saint. Pope John Paul II has been the first author published by Biały Kruk.  This publishing company is the undisputed Polish book market leader  in albums,  for many years it has promoted and propagated domestic and global arts and traditions. Numerous publications on religious, patriotic and cultural matters serve as a wonderful show-piece of Poland, its history and centuries of its rich spiritual and material heritage. Leszek Sosnowski’s genuine project – “Land of Benedict XVI” album was  published in two language versions.

In 2002 the White Kruk publishing house was expanded to include the Film Studio. This is where feature-length documentaries are produced, including ‘God’s Friend’ with Leszek Sosnowski as the chief screenwriter.  In 2004, the film received the Niepokalanów festival Grand Prix in the feature film category. The publisher was highly valued by Saint John Paul II who appointed the Biały Kruk the exclusive publish of his “Renaissance Psalter” poems collection.

Leszek Sosnowski has been the editor of over 150 books devoted to Saint  John Paul II, including the 27-volume series “History of John Paul II Pontificate”. Sosnowski also created 400 editorial concepts and graphic designs for books published by the Biały Kruk.

The next, 22nd festival of the church and religious business sector is to be held from 14 to 16 June 2021.

The SACROEXPO exhibition’s gala ceremony held on June 10 is the occasion to recognise the outstanding artists – Marcin Bornus – Szczyciński, Tadeusz Boruta and Alexander Kornoukhov who are be presented the medals.

The gala awarding ceremony of the Pontifical Council for Culture’s Per Artem Ad Deum Medal presented by the Pontifical Council for Culture will be held within the scope of the  International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious SACROEXPO.

The Medal bestowed to people who largely contribute to the to promotion of dialogue between the diversity of cultures in the contemporary world and thus promote man as an individual.

 The Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been awarded for fifteen years at Targi Kielce staged gala ceremony.

The medal laureates are presented the distinction by the Chapter members and the church high-ranking dignitaries.

The medal has been awarded since 2005; since then it has been recognised as a very special distinction for artistic milieus whose works relate to sacrum and the Church.

This year the Medal Chapter is chaired by HE Bishop Marian Florczyk. The Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been bestowed upon the three people who represent different fields of art:

Marcin Bornus-Szczyciński  is awarded the Per Artem ad Deum Medal for  “tradition promotion and dissemination, for creating the space where spiritual and secular element are brought together”

He is one of the pioneers among Poland’s baroque music vocalists, a founder of the  Bornus Consort ensemble. A graduate of the Economic Sciences Faculty at the University of Warsaw, for four years he worked as an assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw. Then he opted for a career change and resolved to work as freelance musician.

In 1986 he was awarded the French government scholarship to complete a master’s course at the Paris Conservatory. The founder of the  Bornus Consort (1981)  ensemble – Poland’s first attempt to reconstruct the genuine sound of a male chamber vocal ensemble with its specific vocal techniques.

The ensemble specialises in Polish polyphony characteristic for the turn of 16th and 17th centuries. He recorded for Polish Radioin additions to the works long-plays with works of Bartłomiej Pękiel, Piotr from Grudziądz, Mikołaj Zieleński, Marcin Mielczewski, all works of Wacław from Szamotuły, Polish Lent songs, chants about Saint Wojciech, Chansons et Motets, Media vita, et al.

He has performed in most European countries. Recently, he has been solely devoted to monody, especially liturgical monody. He calls himself a “traditionalist” rather than a musician as he has been into recognition, preservation and dissemination of various local traditions.

Tadeusz Boruta  is presented the Per Artem ad Deum Medal  for  “creativity which spurs today’s man search for an individual relationship with God”

A painter and arts critic born in Krakow, from 1979 to 1983 Boruta studied painting at the Fine Arts Academy in Krakow and received his diploma at Stanislaw Rodziński’s and Zbylut Grzywacz’s workshop.

At the same time, in 1980 he also began philosophical studies at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Kracow and graduated four years later. His painting often encompass religious themes, including Passion of Christ. In the 1980s, he was a part of the independent culture movement. In 1984 awarded the “Solidarity” Independent Culture Committee’s accolades at the “Around the Graphics” exhibition. In 1985 he won the 1st Prize at the First National Youth Biennale “The Way and the Truth”. In 1988 he was bestowed the Young Artistic Prize for 1987’s achievements.

He is the author of several problem-focussed exhibitions, including “Towards the Person” (1985), “All our Daily Things” (1987) in showcased in the cloisters of     Dominicans Monastery in Krakow, the “Paschal Mystery” (1986) in the crypt of the Piarists church in Krakow, “Aus der Metapher heraus” (1990) in Darmstadt, “What is an artist worth in the times of misery” (1990) in Warsaw   Zachęta   galery  and the National Museum in Krakow (1991), “I barbari nel giardino.

Mostra di pittura di artisti polacchi “in Bologna (1998),” Generation ’80. Independent young artists’ works in the 1980-1989 period” in Krakow (2010).

Alexander Kornoukhov  is presented the Per Artem ad Deum Medal for  “fusion of science and tradition expressed inspired art forms”

The most prominent present-day mosaicist, open to other religions and cultures as evidenced by his realizations in churches of different denominations.

The studios he works in are located studios in Moscow, Georgia, Ravenna and Rome. A laureate of many prestigious awards, world competitions including those in Ravenna (Italy) in 1986, the Golden Medal of the Russian Academy of Artists (2002).

The arrangement of the New Jerusalem mosaic made of 100 million elements in the Vatican chapel is his most famous achievement. The project is ranked among one of the most ambitious artistic undertakings of the 20th century.

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– This is not my career culmination, yet this is a mission. This is the mission I am faced with  – said Professor Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski upon becoming a member of the Medal fellowship.

A Russian director and screenwriter Aleksander Sokurov and professor Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski have entered the laureates fellowship of the Per Artem at Deum Medal. The Medal presentation, following many-year traditions accompanies the annual International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO held in Targi Kielce. The award has been presented to over 20 outstanding personalities – representatives of science, culture and arts.

The Medals were awarded by: His Excellency Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda – Metropolitan of Bialystok, His Excellency Jan Piotrowski PhD. – Bishop of Kielce,
and the President of the Board of Targi Kielce Andrzej Mochoń PhD.

Aleksander Sokurov is the Russian director who was pronounced one of the
100 best directors by the European Film Academy. He is a laureate of the Golden Lion at the Venice festival for his “Faust” adaptation. When presented the Medal, the artist emphasized the important role of the spiritual element in man and expressed his admiration for professor Krzysztof Zanussi’s work who was also present at the gala ceremony.

Fr. Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski is the the other laureate. Fr. Kłoczowski is a theologian, professor of philosophy. He was bestowed with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta for his outstanding merits in democratic transformation of Poland and his professional and social achievements which benefit the country.
– This is not my career culmination, yet this is a mission. This is the mission I am faced with –  this is how the laureate recounted his nomination to the award.

The gala hosted also the previous-years’ Per Artem Ad Deum Medal winners: professor Dobrosław Bagiński, Tomasz Furdyna, Leszek Mądzik PhD., professor Wincenty Kućma and Professor Krzysztof Zanussi The ceremony was graced with the performance of the Dwa Brat band, Marcin and Rafał Gęborek performance accompanied with images from Aleksander Sokurov’s films: Russian ark, The Lonely Voice of Man, Faust, Father and Son, Moloch, Whispering Pages, Mother and Son.

The Per Artem ad Deum accolades have been presented since 2005 during the June’s International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO is held in Targi Kielce This prestigious award is bestowed to people who largely contribute to the promotion of dialogue between the diversity of cultures in the contemporary. The laureates list includes, inter alia: Ennio Morricone, Krzysztof Zanussi and Claudia Henzler.