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Jerzy Fober, “Elevation”, 1991 – contemporary Polish wooden sculpture with a Eucharistic dimension
Jerzy Fober’s sculpture “Elevation” (1991) is a powerful work situated between sacred and existential art. A slender, nude figure rests on a light, openwork construction resembling a technical frame. Suspended in space, the body bends its head backwards and turns the face upwards, as if in prayer, ecstasy or a final cry. The gestures of the hands are radically different: the left arm hangs limply along the torso, while the right hand clenches at the level of the abdomen, intensifying the tension and drama of the composition.
The figure holds two white geometric blocks with its arms. These forms sharply contrast with the natural texture of the carved wood, yet they seem to grow out of the body, suggesting an ongoing process of transformation – both physical and spiritual. The clash of organic figure and abstract shapes reinforces the themes of sacrifice and metamorphosis. The title “Elevation” recalls the pivotal moment of the Catholic mass when the priest raises the consecrated host. Read this way, the sculpture acquires a Eucharistic meaning: we see a fragile, wounded being that is at the same time uplifted and transfigured.
“Elevation” is one of the key works in Fober’s oeuvre and an important example of contemporary Polish figurative sculpture. By combining the tradition of carved wooden sculpture with a modern psychological and spiritual reading, Jerzy Fober creates a work that resonates visually and symbolically, inviting contemplation on the nature of sacrifice, faith and human vulnerability.
Keywords: Jerzy Fober “Elevation” sculpture, contemporary Polish sculpture, wooden figurative sculpture, sacred and Eucharistic art, religious sculpture of the 20th century, theme of sacrifice in art.
