– 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.

Aleksander Sokurov and professor Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski PhD. Hab. enter the laureates fellowship of the Pontifical Council for for Culture.

The  Per Artem ad Deum Medal has been awarded for 13 years at the Targi Kielce’s SACROEXPO. 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 will feature the laureates – Rev. Father Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski for “For a profound engagement in the discovery and knowledge dissemination about undiscovered links between theology, philosophy and psychology” and Aleksander Sokurov “For the consistent use of the powerful artistic authority in quest for answers to questions related to religion in art”.

This year’s laureates will be resented the medals during the Gala Ceremony on 11 June 2018.

Professor   Jan Andrzej Kłoczowski is a Dominican, a theologian, a professor of philosophy who has been decorated with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. Kłoczowski he graduated from the Institute of Art History of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and philosophy at the Catholic University of Lublin.  He teaches philosophy of God and religion as well as the 19th and 20th century philosophy history at the College of Philosophy and Theology of the  Dominicans in Krakow.  He was also the Department of Philosophy of Religion head at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow. Kłoczowski is also the books author, and amon them “More than a myth. Leszek Kołakowski’s dispute over religion “,” Between loneliness and community.  Introduction to philosophy of religion “,” Man’s ways of mysticism”,” Philosophy of dialogue “. Kłoczowski is the chairman of the Program Board of the Józef Tischner Institute . In 2014 Kłoczowski received the title of Master of Sacred Theology – the highest Dominican academic title. In the 1970’s and 1980’s Fr. Kłoczowski was involved in the Dominican “Beczka” pastoral ministry,  he was also actively involved in anti-communist opposition,  including through the Student Solidarity Committee).  In 2015 the “Kłocz. Autobiography” book was out – this is the interview with Father Kłoczowski authored by Artur Sporniak and Jan Strzałka.

Aleksander Sokurov – a Russian director and screenwriter, the winner of the Golden Lion at the 68th  Venice International Film Festival for his adaptation of the Faust.  By the resolution of the European Film Academy, Sokurov was pronounced one of the 100 best directors.  Aleksander Sokurov graduated from the Faculty of History at the University of Gorky. In the years 1975-1979 Sokurov studied at the Moscow’s WGIK famous film school, the documentary film studio.  He did not finish his studies as he was accused of anti-Soviet political views.  Sokurov worked in “Leningrad” documentary film studios.  He eventually gained recognition in the 90’s.  He lectured at the LenFilm Studio and hosted his own TV program “Sokurov’s Island”. In Saint Petersburg Sokurov opened a film production company  “Bereg”  whose objective was to support independent artists.  Starting from “Moloch”, none of Sokurov’s films has gone unnoticed. Almost all his films have competed at the Cannes’ IFF main competition for the Golden Palm.  In 2003 he was also honoured with the Andrzej Wajda “Freedom” Award presented by the American Cinema Foundation.

HE Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi and Andrzej Mochoń PhD. sign the agreement. In the photo from the left: Fr. Pralate  Lech Piechota PhD., Rev. professor  Tomasz Trafny and HE Bishop Marian Florczyk 

President Mochoń signed the agreement with the Pontifical Council for Culture.

The echoes of the Targi Kielce jubilee gala have not yet died away. This is when the artists from the region made their presentations in Warsaw. The exhibition and congress centre does not rest on laurels and takes up new activities to promote culture. This time Targi Kielce and the Pontifical Council for Culture join forces to work to for the benefit of art which combines artistic and spiritual values.

For 13 years the Kielce exhibition and congress centre  and the  Pontifical Council for  has supported and popularised spiritual art.  This week, in the Vatican the Targi Kielce President of Board Andrzej Mochoń PhD. and the President of the Council – Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi signed the agreement whose objective is to strengthen the existing cooperation.  The official agreement signing offers further motivation to promote  the Per Artem ad Deum Medal – Through Arts to God  idea.

– The agreement is the a culmination point in our activities designed to disseminate cultural and religious heritage.  This is the result of 13 years’ joint activities whose objective has been to promote spiritual values. The SACROEXPO is the most evident embodiment of this idea.   Thus we show that that our professional activity is not only guided with business goals – says Targi Kielce President Andrzej Mochoń.

Targi Kielce is the Organiser of the Europe-famous  International Exhibition of Church Construction, Church Fittings and Furnishings and Religious Art SACROEXPO.  The Pontifical Council for Culture Medal has been awarded at the expo; the Medal has been recognised as a very special distinction for artistic milieus whose works relate to sacrum and the Church.

The Per Artem Ad Deum initiative has advanced to the become Europe’s most important event for the sacred arts milieus.  Every year the ceremony attracts to Kielce outstanding artists from all over the world. These are the artists whose achievements contribute towards the development of culture and shapes the human spirituality – said Cardinal Ravasi.

Until now, the Per Artem Ad Deum Medal Chapter chaired by Rev.  Bishop Marian Florczyk has bestowed 21 distinctions.  The Medal fellowship includes  Wojciech Kilar, Leszek Mądzik, Krzysztof Zanussi, Ennio Morricone, Krzysztof Penderecki, Arvo Pärt et.al.

The upcoming Sacroexpo edition and the Per Artem Ad Deum medal awarding ceremony are held from 11 to 13 June 2018. Last year’s SACROEXPO edition was the showcase for 284 exhibitors from 13 countries. Almost 5,000 visitors attended the exhibition.