The exhibition Tischner – Experience 2025

A creative spatial visualization inspired by Józef Tischner’s Philosophy of Drama is constructed from wooden beams and metal, is deeply symbolic. The 230 cm tall characters, arranged in exaggerated gestures – of shouting, petrification, and resignation – express the fundamental aspects of human existence — full of contradictions and inner struggle.

The installation Tischner in the Thicket of Thought consists of three large-format images of Józef Tischner surrounded by his original works. Sixteen panels, freely hanging from a spiral staircase, represent books with selected quotations. The spiral form serves as a spatial embodiment of thinking and simultaneously as a metaphor for delving into thought.

The Sit with Tischner and Wrap Yourself up in Philosophy zone features three light gray armchairs, three tables, and three lamps — inviting visitors to pause, relax intellectually, and turn their attention toward the other person — to engage in a calm encounter with both others and the protagonist of the exhibition.

The Shepherd’s Hut is a space for an encounter with Rev. Prof. Józef Tischner. The box is constructed from wood. On the exterior wall facing the main entrance to the exhibition, a neon sign in the shape of Tischner’s signature glows with his name.

Personal belongings of Józef Tischner that go beyond the obvious associations with the philosopher or priest form a key part of this exhibition zone. The main element is a table in the traditional highlander (Goral) style. On its surface lie wooden pieces bent into shapes resembling parzenice (decorative motifs), each a few centimeters tall.

Two column-like walls with theatrical masks (smile and sadness) are located in the concave part of the installation. By placing their face close to the masks, the viewer sees their own reflection through the mask’s eyes, along with a fragment of text taken from The Philosophy of Drama. Each of the two masks contains different text excerpts.

The window is a touchscreen display that shows a window in the style of a traditional Podhale house. Each pane, divided by muntins, contains photographs of selected family members of Rev. Prof. Józef Tischner and close individuals from various stages of his pastoral and professional life.

Tischner in Pop Culture is an installation measuring 5 meters wide and 190 cm high. It is a mural offering a visual interpretation of a selected idea of Józef Tischner. The visualization and interpretation were created by Mateusz Tischner, son of Łukasz Tischner, nephew of Rev. Prof. Tischner, and a student at the Faculty of Industrial Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Six panels (wooden frames with boards), each measuring 2 meters in height and 60 cm in width, present selected biographical information from the life of Józef Tischner. The content is displayed through photographs and descriptions, all graphically designed in the exhibition’s overall aesthetic.