Daniel Rycharski - "The Gay Ghost" stained glass at the Museum

 

Stained-glass window made by us on behalf of Daniel Rycharski for his monographic exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw ("Daniel Rycharski. Fears" 15.02 - 22.04.2019 https://artmuseum.pl/en/wystawy/daniel-rycharski-strachyhttps://artmuseum.pl/en/wystawy/daniel-rycharski-strachy). Daniel Rycharski's project was a challenge for us - combining two different worlds - the 20th century comic book and hundreds of years old stained-glass technique is not a simple matter. We wanted the work to be very graphic, but not "flat". To bring to mind the monumental art of cathedrals, evoking an appropriate mood. Using an aging patina, colourful enamels and differentiating the thickness of lead, we managed to plasticize the poster character of the project. Working on such an unusual object was a pleasure for us. We cordially invite you to visit the Museum and see this and other works by Daniel Rycharski.

 

The Gay Ghost

The language of comic books, along with its simplicity and clarity is another, more pop-cultural incarnation of popular forms of expression adopted by Rycharski in his earlier works. The confrontation between the intensive colours and bold symbols create an effective communication link between the artist and the viewer. This time Rycharski appropriates one of the uncommon comic book heroes, who first appeared in pop culture circles in the 1940s, and recasting the Gay Ghost as a stained glass window.

The comic hero created by Ketih Evert returns to earth many years after his death with a mission from his ancestors – to fight totalitarianism. He walks the earth as a ghost, hunting Nazis. Rycharski interprets this uncanny story in his own style, matching the hero’s actions with ideas about the role of religion, endowing The Gay Ghost with a plasticity that frames the selection of excerpts from the theology of pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was killed on Hitler’s direct order. Bonhoeffer’s beliefs, rooted in the need for activism in the world, not on internal contemplation and escapism, was one of the responses to the involvement of the church in cooperating with nationalist ideologies. The illustrative format of the piece are set alongside these quotes in a pop-art message about the essence of faith, which is nonetheless endowed with a sense of humour. The Gay Ghost is a new example of a positive character who fits in with the scope of our times. Not only in the fight against the rebirth of nationalism, but also as a new model for an Saint who is actively engaged in the struggle for rights for those who are underrepresented. (http://rycharski.artmuseum.pl/en/serie/0/the-gay-ghosthttp://rycharski.artmuseum.pl/en/serie/0/the-gay-ghost)

 

 daniel rycharski strachy gay ghost witraz warszawa muzeum sztuki nowoczesnej

daniel rycharski strachy gay ghost witraz warszawa muzeum sztuki nowoczesnej2

daniel rycharski strachy gay ghost witraz warszawa muzeum sztuki nowoczesnej4

daniel rycharski strachy gay ghost witraz warszawa muzeum sztuki nowoczesnej5

daniel rycharski strachy gay ghost witraz warszawa muzeum sztuki nowoczesnej1

 

 

How the stained glass was created - photos below:

 

 

 

Additional Info

  • Idea by:: Daniel Rycharski
  • Technique:: Classical stained glass
  • Location:: Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
  • Additional information::

    "Daniel Rycharski: Fears" is an overview of the work of an artist who has developed an independent form of collaboration with the local community in his hometown of Kurówko. He has come up with a singular proposal for artistic activity by sparking discussion on issues of identity and the limits of membership within a religious community. Through his works, he manages to convey seemingly contradictory experiences: as an artist and believer, a gay man working within a conservative society to create a new means of emancipation from outdated forms of religion. This cross-section of Rycharski’s works is part of the museum’s programming initiative to pursue a new lexicon for describing the world around us and draw attention to some of the most interesting and radical artistic attitudes of our time.

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