Sztuka ekslibrisu – rzeczywistość spetryfikowana. Dylematy artystyczne i dydaktyczne
The art of ex libris – petrified reality. Artistic and didactic dilemmas

Author(s): Krzysztof Marek Bąk
Subject(s): Education, Fine Arts / Performing Arts
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: ex libris;bookplate;
Summary/Abstract: In the present text, the author analyses the key issues of ex libris art and the possible approaches of a creator of bookplates in the context of modern art. Moreover, his subject interest are also several aspects of the didactics of ex libris, with an indication of difficulties stemming from the necessity of “raising a bridge of consciousness” between the nineteenth century bookplate aesthetics and the visual and conceptual values of contemporary art.The author attempts to establish to what extent the contemporary paradigm of “being and artist” can relate to “ex libris artists.” For this purpose, he describes a conglomerate of creative qualities of the most interesting contemporary bookplate creators, answering the question as to what extent is the art of ex libris in its graphic aspect faithful to tradition and to what extent it follows contemporaneity.Even though ex libris artists draw upon past achievements in the field of aesthetics – a fact which is accentuated – regarding it sometimes from an argumentative and sometimes a conflicting perspective, they always function within their context. As such, the author unambiguously distinguishes between bookplate creators who participate and co-shape the evolution of art from representatives of a second decade of the twenty-first century popular graphic trend which negates the achievement of twentieth century art.In the final part of the article, the author delineates the basic dilemmas of the didactics of ex libris in the era of art, where “anything goes.” He stresses the role of the ability to impose limits upon self and to subordinate certain aspects of the vision to the requirements of the genre. He perceives in the limitations of the convention a chance for the development of artistic ex libris, acknowledging that some artists want to create verifiable works which are subject to described rules and principles.

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