Andrzej Konrad Osęka (3 December 1932 – 1 May 2021) was a Polish

art historian Art history is the study of artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history. Traditionally, the ...

, journalist and art critic, and recipient of the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

Biography

In 1955, Osęka graduated in art history at the

University of Warsaw The University of Warsaw (, ) is a public university, public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established on November 19, 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well ...

. During the

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic (1952–1989), formerly the Republic of Poland (1947–1952), and also often simply known as Poland, was a country in Central Europe that existed as the predecessor of the modern-day democratic Republic of Poland. ...

, he worked as a journalist and wrote about contemporary art. He was an associate of "''Po Prostu''" (1955-1956), and then a member of the editorial staff of "''Przegląd Kulturalny''" (1955-1962) and "''Kultura''" (1965-1981). Osęka was a member of the Association of Polish Journalists and the

Polish Writers' Union The Polish Writers' Union or the Union of Polish Writers (, ZLP) was established at a meeting of Polish writers and activists in Lublin behind the Soviet front line, during the liberation of Poland by the Red Army in 1944. Its initial name (Prof ...

, and a collaborator of the Experience and Future Conversatory (for example, he prepared the chapter on Social Behavior for the report ''Poland towards martial law in 1982''). From 1980 Osęka was a member of NSZZ "

Solidarność Solidarity (, ), full name Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity" ( , abbreviated ''NSZZ „Solidarność”''), is a Polish trade union founded in August 1980 at the Gdańsk Shipyard, Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Polish People's Rep ...

", and was active in the Team for Culture of the Mazovia Region of the union. Osęka was a member of the Independent Culture Committee (1983–1989), where he was responsible for

visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual a ...

. In 1983 Osęka was a founder of the monthly ''Kultura Niezna.'' He collaborated with ''Kultura'' under the pseudonym Paweł Morga and with the underground press in Poland (including ''Tygodnik Mazowsze''). He received the Publicist Award of

Juliusz Mieroszewski Juliusz Mieroszewski (; 2 February 1906 – 21 June 1976) was a Polish journalist, publicist and political commentator. He wrote under the pseudonyms "J. Calveley" and "Londyńczyk" (''Londoner''). He was born in Kraków. In interwar Poland he ...

(1986). After 1989, Osęka continued to write on cultural topics. In 1992 he joined the editorial office of ''

Gazeta Wyborcza (; ''The Electoral Gazette'' in English) is a Polish nationwide daily newspaper based in Warsaw, Poland. It was launched on 8 May 1989 on the basis of the Polish Round Table Agreement and as a press organ of the Solidarity (Polish trade union), t ...

''. He has also published in

Dziennik Polska-Europa-Świat ''Dziennik Polska-Europa-Świat'' () was a Polish nationwide daily newspaper published by Ringier Axel Springer, a joint venture between Germany's Axel Springer Verlag publishing company and Swiss media company Ringier. History ''Dziennik Polska ...

, ''

Wprost ''Wprost'' (, meaning "Directly") is a Polish weekly news magazine published in Poznań, Poland.Polityka ''Polityka'' (, ''Politics'') is a centre-left weekly news magazine in Poland. It had a circulation of 95,300 during 2021. ''Polityka'' has a slightly intellectual, socially liberal profile, setting it apart from the more conservative ''Wprost ...

''. He was a member of the program council of the Open Republic association. In 2011, President

Bronisław Komorowski Bronisław Maria Komorowski (; born 4 June 1952) is a Polish politician and historian who was the fifth president of Poland from 2010 to 2015. Komorowski previously served as Ministry of National Defence (Poland), Minister of National Defence ...

decorated Osęka with the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. He was the father of Piotr Osęka and the brother of Janusz Osęka. Osęka died on May 1, 2021, at the age of 89.Zmarł Andrzej Osęka, krytyk sztuki i działacz "Solidarności". Miał 89 lat

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oseka, Andrzej 1932 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Polish historians Polish male non-fiction writers Solidarity (Polish trade union) activists University of Warsaw alumni Recipients of the Order of Polonia Restituta