Farewell to Wojciech Jakubowski (1929–2024)
2024-12-19
Farewell to Wojciech Jakubowski (1929–2024)
On the 17th of December at the municipal cemetery in Sopot we said goodbye to a wonderful artist and a wonderful man. Wojciech Jakubowski was a graphic artist, known in many countries for his excellent works made in the copperplate technique, and the initiator of the Exlibris Biennale organized in Malbork for 60 years. Born on June 10, 1929, he passed away on December 11, 2024, five months after the death of his wife – Dr. Bogna Jakubowska – a valued art historian. The Jakubowski family lived for some time in Malbork, where Mr. Wojtek became fascinated with amber. He was delighted by both the nature of this material and the artistic possibilities it offers. After moving to Gdynia, from the 1970s to the 1990s, he made unique silver and amber objects – both jewellery with forms inspired by nature and old art, as well as larger objects, such as cups.
Wojciech Jakubowski was one of the founding members of the Amber Association in 1996, and since 2016 an honorary member of the International Amber Association.
During the funeral, the Jakubowskis' daughter and granddaughters, as well as friends of the family, wore his wonderful jewellery.
His talent and beautiful works will remain. As will the excellent catalogues of exhibitions of his art. In 2014, two monographic exhibitions of Wojciech Jakubowski's works were held at the Gdynia City Museum and the District Museum in Toruń, and the Minister of Culture and National Heritage – then Małgorzata Omilanowska, awarded the artist the silver medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis.
It is worth reaching for these publications, as well as the catalogues of the Exlibris Biennial or occasional publications such as Jakubowski's graphic improvisations to the poems of Czesław Miłosz. The first improvisation refers to the poem entitled "The Sun":
"Colours are from the sun. And it has no
Separate colour, because it has all of them.
And the whole earth is like a poem,
And the sun above it represents the artist..."
The sun in Sopot shone beautifully today.
Anna Sobecka
