Krystyna MOŁDAWA (1927–2011), The Pensive Christ

clay; 15 cm

signed on the back: Mołdawa / Krystyna / Rędocin

Krystyna Mołdawa was one of the best-known and most highly regarded ceramic sculptors; she was born in 1927 in Rędocin, where she also lived. She came from a well-known family of potters and learned the craft from her father, Andrzej Rokita. Her husband, Czesław Mołdawa, was also a potter, as were her brother Henryk Rokita and her son-in-law Jarosław Rodak, whom the artist taught the craft.
The village of Rędocin, where she grew up, is known for the production of wheel-thrown ceramic vessels (jugs, bowls, pots, dishes, double-handled pots, and flowerpots) as well as clay sculptures.
Krystyna Mołdawa has participated in numerous national, provincial, and regional competitions, winning many awards and honors. From 1972 to 1999, she received more than a dozen first- and second-place prizes and honorable mentions at folk art exhibitions held in Kielce, Iłża, Radom, Toruń, Lublin, and Warsaw. She participated many times in the “Contemporary Folk Sacred Art” competition in Kielce. Her sculptures have been exhibited both in Poland and abroad.
She also participated in folk art fairs and markets, including those in Płock, Kazimierz, and Kraków. The artist’s works are included in the collections of the National Museum in Kielce, the Radom Village Museum in Radom, and in the collections of museums in Warsaw, Kraków, and Łódź. (Association of Folk Artists)