JERZY S. KENAR - BIOGRAPHY

Jerzy S. Kenar JERZY S. KENAR WAS BORN IN 1948 IN IWONICZ ZDROJ, POLAND INTO A FAMILY AFFLUENT IN ART CUSTOMS. THERE HE STUDIED SCULPTURE AT THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN GDANSK. IN 1973 HE LEFT POLAND AND IMMIGRATED TO SWEDEN, ULTIMATELY TRAVELING TO THE UNITED STATES. TODAY, JERZY EXHIBITS HIS PERSONAL ART AND LITURGICAL CREATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WORKING PRIMARILY IN WOOD, BRONZE, ACRYLIC AND STONE.

JERZY S. KENAR HAS COLLABORATED WITH OVER 100 PLACES OF WORSHIP NATIONWIDE. HE SPECIALIZES IN FIGURATIVE SCULPTURE, LITURGICAL DESIGN AND LITURGICAL FURNISHINGS.

AMONG COUNTLESS TRIUMPHANT PROJECTS, FREQUENT COMMISSIONS AND VICTORIOUS COMPETITIONS, IN 1984 JERZY HAD WON AN INTERNATIONAL CONTEST FOR THE CREATION OF A SANCTUARY AND FIGURATIVE WORKS FOR THE MONUMENTAL MARY, QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE SHRINE IN ORLANDO FLORIDA. ALAS, KENAR HAS BEEN PRIVILEGED TO RECEIVE THE WINNING COMMISSIONS FROM VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS THE CREATION OF THE INFAMOUS HOLY WATER FONT FOR MARY DE STRADA CHAPEL AT THE LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AND THE ENTREE GATE FOR THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH IN CHICAGO. IN THE YEAR 2000 THE MINISTRY & LITURGY MAGAZINE AWARDED JERZY ITS THREE TOP HONORS; TWO BENE AWARDS IN THE PERMANENT CATEGORY OF VISUAL ARTS FOR HIS CREATION OF "RESURRECTION" AND "SAINT FRANCIS WITH SCREEN", IN ADDITION TO AN HONORABLE MENTION FOR A "HOLY FAMILY".

JERZY S. KENAR BELIEVES IN DEVELOPING AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY OF EACH AND EVERY PROJECT HE HAS THE PRIVILEGE TO ENCOUNTER. HIS CREATIONS ARE OFTEN INTERACTIVE, AND CHILD-FRIENDLY. IT IS PRECISELY THE "BRAIDING" OF HIS UNIQUE ENERGY WITH A COLORFUL INPUT OF A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY, WHICH ULTIMATELY CREATES THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF HIS SUCCESS.

JERZY'S GOAL FOR HIS WORK IS "...NOT ONLY TO BE APPRECIATED BY THE EVERYDAY VIEWER, BUT FIRST, AND FOREMOST, BY THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME - OUR CHILDREN."

KENAR IS HIGHLY OPPOSED TO THE COMMON SOCIAL "SPOON FEEDING", INSTEAD IN CHOOSING TO SUBTLY EXPRESS THE POETRY OF HIS LITURGICAL CREATIONS, THE ARTIST ALLOWS FOR A PROFOUND AND SACRED PERSONAL IMPACT UPON THE VIEWER.

"...IF OUR CHILDREN WILL EMBRACE THEIR FAITH - AS A FRIEND - EARLY ENOUGH - THEY WILL STAY FOREVER."

J.S. KENAR