The sculpture ‘Tindaro’ by Igor Mitoraj reached a record price of PLN 6.89 million at the Polswiss Art auction. Most interestingly, Mitoraj is staying in Warsaw! The buyer has announced that he will voluntarily place the striking work of considerable size, which since early September can be found next to the Sheraton Hotel at Plac Trzech Krzyży, in a publicly accessible area of the capital.
Record sale of Mitoraj for PLN 6.89 million
On Tuesday, 16 September, an Auction of Sculpture and Spatial Objects organised by the Polswiss Art Auction House took place. The starting price of ‘Tindaro’ was PLN 4 million, but the great interest of collectors caused the final amount (including auction fees) to reach PLN 6.89 million! This is the highest price Mitoraj’s work has ever achieved on the auction market. Such a high result is not surprising, as ‘Tindaro’ is one of the sculptor’s most elaborate and significant works.
Mitoraj stays in Warsaw – the story of ‘Tindaro’
The four-metre-high sculpture in patinated bronze was commissioned by the international company KPM in 1997. For years, it decorated the La Défense district in Paris, standing in the surroundings of modern architecture and being its artistic complement. It was brought to Poland from France especially for the auction. The huge head of a young man alludes to the figure of Tyndareos, king of Sparta and father of Helen of Troy. The artist created several different depictions of this motif, which can be seen in Florence, Lucca or Sicily, among others. What stands out in the composition of the Warsaw version is the elaborate background of the sculpture with pillars, reliefs and motifs referring to other works by Mitoraj. The whole creates a multi-layered narrative that critics describe as ‘sculpture within sculpture’. Now his work will permanently reside on the Vistula River.
The style and philosophy of Igor Mitoraj’s work
Igor Mitoraj’s works combine classical harmony with a deliberately introduced fragmentation, reminiscent of the ruins of the ancient world. The artist emphasised that it was not about showing frailty, but about reflecting on the passing of time, memory and the power of art. He himself reiterated that art should maintain mystery and intrigue the viewer, and that the full meaning of a work need not always be revealed immediately.
Igor Mitoraj – artist of international achievement
Igor Mitoraj was born in 1944 in Oederan, Germany, while he spent his childhood and youth in Grojec near Oświęcim. From the late 1960s, he developed his work abroad. A breakthrough in his artistic path turned out to be his stay in Pietrasanta, Italy, where access to Carrara marbles provided him with exceptional conditions for his work. It was in this city that his most important works were created and where he established contacts with Italian critics and artists. In 1985, he presented his works at the Castle of San Angelo in Rome, and the exhibition opened the way to a worldwide career. In the following years, he created monumental sculptures commissioned in Paris, Milan and Rome, among other places.
Mitoraj stays in Warsaw
Until the end of September, Warsaw residents and visitors to the capital can admire the sculpture at Plac Trzech Krzyży, in front of the Sheraton Grand Hotel. Where ‘Tindaro’ will find its permanent place in the city’s public space has not yet been revealed. What is certain, however, is that one of Igor Mitoraj’s most important works will remain in Poland.
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