MUSEUM CURATOR BY VOCATION. CANON MIROSŁAW NOWAK PHD (1961–2021): DIRECTOR OF THE WARSAW ARCHDIOCESE MUSEUM

Abstract

Having fought a long and tough battle against COVID-19, on 11 April 2021, Mirosław Nowak PhD, a theologian, art historian, museum curator, Archdiocese Conservator, and the Director of the Warsaw Archdiocese Museum, passed away. In 1982–1987, Fr. Mirosław studied art history at the History Department of the University of Warsaw, at the same time studying philosophy and theology at the Higher Metropolitan Seminary in Warsaw. Having taken holy orders in 1990, throughout his life he was able to successfully harmonize his ministry with the profession of an art historian. With his research focused on Baroque art, in 2006, he defended his doctoral dissertation on the Chapel of Blessed Ceslaus in the Wrocław church of the Dominicans. Fr. Mirosław Nowak performed many Diocese-wide functions, with 2013 being for him breakthrough: it was then that he became Director of the Warsaw Archdiocese Museum. Under him, the Museum was moved to a new extensive home in the centre of Warsaw’s Old Town; he mounted a permanent exhibition, and created an energetic cultural centre of high impact. At the Museum, he organized lectures, shows, authors’ presentations, concerts, and conferences. Fr. Nowak established contacts with other museums in Poland and abroad; he organized around 40 temporary exhibitions, among which the biggest and most interesting was that dedicated to the Silesian master of the Baroque Michael Willmann, The Warsaw Archdiocese Museum will painfully miss a good human and an excellent director.