Farewell to prof. Tadeusz Wencel

We are deeply saddened to inform you that on 9.4.2024, at the age of 98, the sculptor Prof. Tadeusz Wencel passed away in Opole. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (Prof. Marian Wnuk's studio, 1955), he participated in regional, national and international exhibitions, as well as symposia and plein-airs on spatial and aesthetic development of urban and rural areas. In 1980 he joined our University, where he worked at today's Faculty of Art until 1996. Being an excellent teacher and organiser, he created a dynamically operating and professionally equipped Sculpture Department. At the same time, he was an extraordinary man, which was described by his student and collaborator of the late dr Lech Wieluński: "An open personality endowed with the gift of storytelling, straightforwardness, great personal knowledge of the Polish artistic community, and the traditions of the family home are some of the assets that made the 'boss' always gather students from various studios, artists and staff of other faculties, people from outside the university. You just dropped by to the 'artists', regardless of whether it was a plumber or a rector. He created a warm aura around him that was focused on giving." He was remembered in a similar way by the late dr Jacek Ojrzyński, who wrote: "I see him always surrounded by a crowd of people, smiling, talking, without any ceremonies finding easy contact with young people, not feeling any conflicts of generations". The students called him "Dad Wencel"...

This is the picture of our Professor that will remain in our memory.

As we share this sad news, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the Professor's family, as well as to all those who had the honour to meet him, to be his students or to work with him.

Professor's students