Tomasz Bajer artist

Artistic output of Tomasz Bajer belongs to a distinct trend of art. The artist himself seems to be isolated in his activities, what, however, does not imply solitude in his considerations. Although, according to his age, he belongs to the generation which strives for the attention on the artistic stage in an invasive way and applies the strategy nowadays defined as strategy of media, expression of this artist is of meditative and secluded nature. He steers clear of all what is temporary, current and topical. His spontaneity of emotions is replaced by hermetic code describing the spiritual invariability of things, whose cognition crosses the borders of profanum.

The principle to which Tomasz Bajer's art always refers is his city Wroclaw. The artist recalls its collective, protective spirit, guardian angel, genius loci. This continual, impenetrable inspiration refers to the emanation of spiritual energy, which radiates from this point of the world. Wroclaw has always been, seen historically, a cluster of cultures and traditions, a place of meeting of varied ethnic groups and religions. It has always been a deeply European city, open to all what is new, but also storing in the collective memory all what has been accomplished here, all what has grown here from the age co-existence of things in the spirit of ecumenics, tolerance and understanding. All these aspects Wroclaw owes to this genius of the place. Its national identity or exclusive character of civilisation possessions attributed to one group of inhabitants is just a secondary output (it does not mean, however, that there were no attempts to instill it or manipulate it).
Norman Davies devoted one of his most recent works to this phenomenon, which Wroclaw constitutes itself (Microcosm. A Portrait of a Central European City). Its history certifies that such co-existence was not only possible, but also aroused remarkable economic potential and intellectual unrest, which in turn neutralised all kinds of prejudice and phobia throughout the centuries.
The city is crossed by the seventeenth meridian. Nearly on this line the artist's house is located, a particular place on Earth, point of reference to the whole world. Conviction of indication particular places in time and space has already appeared as a thread in speculations of some 19-century scientists related to the tradition of Rosicrucians and was connected with certain mathematical idea governing the world (kinematics of history). Not accidentally it was in such places that eminent individuals appeared, crucial historical events occurred, and energy affecting the fate of all humanity focused.
The artist dedicated the middle part of his exhibition to this concept of particular place. Exhibition as a whole harmonises with the triple structure of the gallery and so constitutes a triptych, a recognised means of pathetic expression in art tradition. It is a sort of sanctuary, inside which, on the symmetry axis, appears so-called cassoni (a kind of Renaissance home chest) and a banderium above it. The chest contains the following objects: 17th Meridian, spirit level (Wasserwage) and compasses. The iconography of banderium comprises the concentric, intervening schemes of a human being displayed as a microcosm (remarkable similarity to the famous print from the work of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa from Nettesheim, although there is no pentagram here) and an old German city plan of Wroclaw. Together they all give a complete image of the world, in medieval ages referred to as imago mundi, i.e. the image of the macrocosm and existing in it ..messenger of the existence" (Martin Heidegger).
The symbolism of the chest takes into consideration two principal, non-contradictory interpretations:
- firstly, it is a treasury (reliquary) to store things (in particular the valuable ones) or spiritual values; its opening, or only opening its lid a little, causes liberation and manifestation of its contents. In this meaning it stands for a deposit of values, by analogy to the Tables of Law stored in the Arc of the Covenant. What is stored therein is a treasury of tradition, its form of manifestation or an evidence of knowledge passed on by Heaven. Actually the chest is a sign of divine presence in a particular place (sancta sanctorum) as Tabernacle,
- secondly, it always assumes mystery.

17th Meridian, an object inspired by the print of Robert Fludd (chapter: Music of the Earth of his work Utriusque Cosmi Historia, Oppenheim 1617), materialises and visualises the symbolic string-line (axis mundi). According to the Masonic symbolism, it implies the higher, divine order of the world, harmony of the spheres and their interrelations.
The next object found in the chest is a spirit level, here called Wasserwage. Peeking inside through the peephole one can notice an inscription Aquarius (the Water Bearer, the eleventh sign of zodiac, symbolising co-operation, brotherhood, social unity and cohesion, as well as indifference towards material things. Furthermore, one recognises the symbols of aqua (water) and ignis (fire), thus the original earthly elements contrary to each other, remaining in natural opposition and permanent conflict. Aquarius takes the role of the conciliator here, abolishing their perennial fight.
The fundamental function of the spirit level is to indicate the level (hence the Polish and English names, whereas the German word points to its principle of operation). However, it is also possible to indicate the perpendicular by means of the spirit level. This two-way functionality allows to refer its symbolic meaning to the sign of a cross in the cosmic dimension. Both directions express divine will in the centre of the universe and its harmonious spreading within the cosmic plan.
Obtuse compasses, here inspired by the prototype from the print of Durer Melancholy, whose symbol represents by the way - mark the circle of eternity. According to Chevalier, it is a symbol of hard sciences, as opposed to poetry, the attribute of the creative work, in relation to the eternal return. In Mason tradition the angle ofobtuseness of the compasses indicates the level of initiation. Cirlot claims that the open compasses, due to the similarity to letter A, mean the beginning of existence of all things. On the compasses one can notice an inscription There is no empty space, which comes from the grave plate of Christian Rosenkreutz. This statement, according to the artist, refers to the original substance which both in this world and in the higher one is sevenfold. Each of its states and each principle comprises seven further levels of differentiation in terms of density. Both on the lid of the chest and the banderium hanging above one can notice a winged emblem Breslaurum. The motif of wings was added to the human being as well. It implies striving for perfection and liberation from the earth gravity. Following Cirliot, this attribute expresses synthetic capacity of ..going towards the light", i.e. spiritual development. In alchemy, wings have always reflected higher elements of active, male nature.
The left wing of the gallery displays a monumental flag with the inscription made in Gothic typography: Deus in medio est (God is in the middle). This element constitutes again a recalling of a centric idea, this time referring to the world of nature.
The right wing exhibits a ribbon, hanging from the ceiling, with a stylised emblem recalling the idea of eternal return (aeternus reditus). In this perspective one finds Ouroboros, the serpent, plaited from three ropes. Ouroboros I Uroboros symbolises the Gnostic alchemy, cycles of cosmic changes. The dialectic Universum constantly stays under transformation of matter and its elements. Things come and go, perpetually returning to their starting point. It also stands for the cosmic circle and initiation, divine emanation and force which is always reborn.
According to Chevalier, it also symbolizes the marriage of contrary worlds: chthonic and heavenly (then it's black and white), and further, two different dimensions of existence (linear, i.e. ordinary and circular, i.e. for higher life need, since the serpent eats itself), as well as non-ending cycle of birth and continuity of repetitions Cirliot refers also to other interpretations, as for example that of Ruland, according to which, it is a symbolic variant of Mercury, ,,the dual god". However, according to Evol, it is a universal serpent. For the Gnostics it is a snake ,,slithering through all things". On the other hand, E. Neuman, who situates the snake in the context of matriarchal symbolism, considers it to be the original symbol for the creation of the world and then it stands for fertilization.
All these three elements (in relation with the principle of trinity) are unified by the consistent symbolism of colours of alchemic origin. White stands for spiritual purification and enlightenment, being a colour of illumination. Red reflects the fire of spiritual transformation and refers to transmutation. Black signifies the original matter. Gold, appearing incidentally, manifests divine light.