''The Partisans'' is a 1979 aluminum sculpture by the Polish-American sculptor

Andrzej Pitynski Andrzej Pitynski (15 March 1947, Ulanów – 18 September 2020, Mount Holly, New Jersey) was a Polish-American monumental sculptor who lived and worked in the United States. A book of his works was published in 2008. Work The Partisans In Ja ...

that has been exhibited in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Massachusetts, since 1983. The sculpture depicts Polish anti-communist "

cursed soldiers The "cursed soldiers" (also known as "doomed soldiers", "accursed soldiers" or "damned soldiers"; pl, żołnierze wyklęci) or "indomitable soldiers" ( pl, żołnierze niezłomni) is a term applied to a variety of anti-Soviet and anti-communist ...

". It is dedicated to

freedom fighter A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objectives ...

s worldwide.

Description

The sculpture is long, high, and wide. This modern aluminum sculpture depicts five riders and their horses. The horsemen carry spears on their back, and with their bowed heads the sculpture intends to convey the themes of crucifixion and sacrifice. According to its creator they are intended to represent:

Five armed riders in a marching formation; five desperate men who resemble forest ghosts more than they resemble human beings ... five partisans who are tattered, mortally tired, who are bleeding from endless battles, escapes, skirmishes ... immersed with their own thoughts about the tragedy of their nation, who are riding their horses, stumbling from exhaustion.

The sculpture is a symbolic representation of the

– anti-communist Polish partisans who fought against the Polish communist regime following the communist takeover of Poland in the aftermath of World War II (and not, as some sources erroneously suggest, World War II era anti-Nazi Polish partisans). The sculptor however dedicated his work to "all

s around the world".

History

Pitynski designed the sculpture in 1979 for the Johnson Atelier – The Technical Institute of Sculpture, with financial support from the Sculpture Foundation. The sculpture was met with a degree of controversy, and Pitynski received threats from the sympathizers of the communist People's Republic of Poland. PXL 20201114 233404664

The sculpture has been displayed in Boston since 1983. At first it was given to the city for temporary display, but it has since become a permanent monument. Until January 2006, the statue was located on

Boston Common The Boston Common (also known as the Common) is a public park in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest city park in the United States. Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street (139 Tremont St.), Park Street, Beac ...

, near the corner of Charles and

Beacon A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...

streets. City officials cited concerns that the statue lacked a proper pedestal and stored it in a warehouse, which triggered protests from the

Polish-American Polish Americans ( pl, Polonia amerykańska) are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.83% ...

community and from the sculptor himself. In July of that year, the statue was moved to a new public location, thanks to assistance from the

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...

(MBTA). It was located on the

South Boston South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. South Boston, colloquially known as Southie, has undergone several demographic transformat ...

waterfront near the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art and the MBTA's World Trade Center Station on the Silver Line. The statue was rededicated in the presence of the area's Polish American community and of local officials, a gesture endorsed both by Pitynski and by the Polish Consulate in Boston. On November 17, 2018, the statue was permanently relocated to the center median of D Street, at the intersection with Congress Street.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Partisans 1983 sculptures Aluminum sculptures in Massachusetts Outdoor sculptures in Boston Monuments and memorials in Boston Boston Common Horses in art * Polish-American culture in Massachusetts 1983 establishments in Massachusetts