AA72

AA72 is one of the paintings that comes to mind each time the name of Beksiński is mentioned. We show it today thanks to the Historical Museum in Sanok where it is exhibited and usually makes an incredible impact on viewers.

Zdzisław Beksiński’s spirituality is both a fascinating and complicated topic. It’s commonly known that he wasn’t religious in any traditional way. Maybe for that reason Christian eschatology offered no support to him, making his fear of death (understood as a metaphysical end of existence) so horrifying and, at the same time, a driving force of his art. 

In that context it’s somewhat surprising that there’re so many religious motifs in Beksiński’s art. For example, the crucifix motif is present even in his drawings or photos from the 1950s and in his mature painting becomes one of the major motifs. Even his last painting, finished a few hours before Beksiński’s tragic death, shows the cross on a background of worn fabric. Beksiński himself was never able to explain his tendency of placing the crucifix in his works. 

It’s quite possible that this internal contrast was somehow shaped in his youth and was affected by his family atmosphere. On one hand his mother was deeply religious, while on the other his father had been agnostic for most of his life and returned to faith only on his deathbed. 

One of the things that deeply affected Beksiński in his childhood was Psalm 23. For all of his life he was often recalling its words: "(…) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me (…)." 

The painting AA72 seems to illustrate that fascination. It shows the mysterious, dark valley, which resembles the biblical valley from the Psalm. On the bottom of the valley there’s a small human figure, overshadowed by two rows of ponderous, stony monks, with skulls instead of heads. Compared with them, the figure looks even more meager. Yet it is making its way through the valley, lighting it with the torch kept in left hand. We don’t know where it’s coming from nor where it’s heading.

After seeing this painting, you're not much in the mood for shopping; but if you're looking for artsy paper calendars and notebooks, check our Shop, you won't be disappointed!

P.S. Here you can read more about the Dystopian Surrealism of Zdzisław Beksiński.