Psalm 91 provided the creative motif for this cycle of paintings. This particular psalm had intrigued me for a long time, because you are supposed to say it as a prayer before falling asleep and yet it does not allow one to fall asleep, even though it promises God's protection and care. When I found out that it is sometimes used in exorcisms - silencing the dybbuk - the text became even more intriguing.
It turns out that traditionally the psalm has been attributed to Moses, as are eleven psalms in total - from 90 to 101. Moses was to compose them during his journey through the desert to the Promised Land. Initially, I wanted to paint a series of pictures consisting of these eleven psalms, but eventually I interpreted only one, Psalm 91. There is a reason why both Jews and Christians consider it to offer
amulet-like protection.
I present here some of these paintings. They have an unusual format, 150x80 cm, and the reason for
this is my sheer cheekiness. The director of the Wrocław’s Music and Literature Club, Ryszard Sławczyński invited me to exhibit my paintings in their new gallery, a small room with very high
walls. It is a rather unusual space for an art gallery, but it prompted me to paint pictures in a format that suited such an interior. For this simple and rather silly reason, the paintings are narrow and elongated.
I keep several of these paintings at home and I am in no hurry to part with them. My amulet? Who knows?
