Robin Knapp, Toruń

In the history of each exhibition there are moments that long remain in the memory of organizers, artists and visitors. These are moments when the presented works cease to be merely exhibits and begin to tell their own story – the story of a man, his life, experiences and emotions. Such an event was a visit Robin Knapp, son of prominent artist Stefan Knapp, at an exhibition devoted to his father's work, organized in Toruń.

The very fact of the presence of the closest member of the artist's family has raised great interest in visitors. For many people it was a unique opportunity to look at the work of Stefan Knapp from a completely new perspective – not only through the eyes of art historians or curators, but above all through the eyes of his son, who for years watched his father both as an artist and as a man. From the first moments of the tour, we could see Robin's great commitment. He wasn't limited to watching exposure. He stopped at subsequent pictures, recalled the circumstances of their origin, talked about events that accompanied their creation, and also shared memories of family life. As a result, each of the works presented gained an additional dimension. The audience could learn not only the end result of the artist's work, but also the creative process, emotions and everyday life, which often remained invisible to the audience.

Robin’s special interest was in the work of the so - called Siberian period. It was an extremely moving moment, both for him and for everyone present. As he himself admitted, many of these paintings had never seen before. It was almost as new for him as for visitors to the exhibition. During the talks he repeated the subject of this unique stage of Stefan Knapp's life. Robin pointed out that his father very rarely returned to experience with his stay in Siberia. Over the years, he has increasingly focused on modern monumental art, above all on his famous enamel works, which brought him international recognition. In his belief, the father "buried" earlier works, leaving them in the shadow of later achievements. He did not expose them, he did not return to them during exhibitions, and talks about them were rare. He also mentioned that his father did not recognize compromises in art. If he felt that the work needed work, he could begin it almost again, regardless of the amount of time he had spent.

All the more valuable was finding them again and presenting them to the general public. Robin analyzed more images with great focus, trying to read their emotions and memories. For many participants of the exhibition it was extremely moving to observe a man who himself discovers unknown fragments of his own father's work.

These memories allowed visitors to better understand Stefan Knapp's extraordinary determination. Behind each picture were not only workshop skills, but also huge discipline, consistency and belief in their own creative path.

One of the most valuable elements of the meeting were spontaneous talks between Robin and the participants of the exhibition. Visitors asked questions about the artist's daily life, his character, interests and family relations. Robin responded with great openness and cordiality. He didn't create a memorial image of his father. On the contrary – he showed Stefan Knapp as a man of passion, but at the same time very demanding towards himself, extremely hardworking and completely devoted art.

The story revealed an artist who could spend hours thinking about new projects, constantly sketching ideas and looking for new solutions. He found inspiration almost everywhere – in architecture, nature, travel, conversations with people, as well as in everyday observations of the surrounding world. Robin also mentioned that the father took the artist's responsibility towards the audience extremely seriously. He felt that art should be public, leave a lasting trail, inspire and provoke reflection. He was not interested in creating decorative works. Each implementation was to carry a specific idea and be the result of a conscious creative process.

Tales of monumental embalming were also of great interest. Robin talked about the huge scale of projects, cooperation with architects and technological challenges associated with creating large format compositions. With these stories, we could better understand why Stefan Knapp was considered one of the pioneers of the use of enamel in modern architecture. At the same time, Robin repeatedly stressed that even after reaching international fame, his father remained faithful to his principles. He never stopped experimenting, constantly searching for new forms of expression and did not allow himself to have artistic routine. This was a feature that impressed both colleagues and family.

The atmosphere of the meeting was extremely warm. Many people stayed at the exhibition much longer than originally planned. Visitors formed small groups around Robin, listening to further memories. Many times, with the same images, long discussions began about the history of art, emigration, the war fate of the artist or his later activities in the UK.

One could get the impression that the exhibition turned into a lively meeting with history for several hours. The paintings ceased to be only museum exhibits. They became the starting point for talks about memory, experience of war, emigration, family and extraordinary power of creativity.

For event organizers, the presence of Robin Knapp was an invaluable value. No catalog, no publication or any historical study can replace the relationship of a person who has known the artist since the earliest years of his life. Every story told supplemented Stefan Knapp's knowledge of new details, allowing us to look at his work from a more personal perspective.

It was particularly moving that Robin himself repeatedly discovered new facts while watching the exhibition. Some works reminded him of past events, others led to reflection on his father's artistic path, and others made a completely new discovery for him. This was a unique experience that could be witnessed by all present.

Personally, I would like to express my great gratitude to Robin for having taken the time to visit Toruń and meet us. It was a visit of exceptional importance, whose value is hardly overestimated. We have received not only the opportunity to watch the exhibition together, but above all a priceless gift in the form of memories and stories that we will not find in any book or archive.

Robin shared with us stories about Stefan Knapp as an artist, but also as a father, man, mentor and a person of full passion. He talked about his plans, dreams, ways of working, daily habits, and extraordinary consequences in achieving his own goals. That's the kind of stories that build a full picture of a man. They show that behind the great artist there is always a common man – with his own emotions, concerns, family and experiences.

Every person who knew Stefan Knapp remembers him a little differently. It is only a gathering of all these memories that allows to create a real portrait of a man. Robin's stories are an extremely important part of this puzzle. They are authentic, personal and unique. Thanks to them, we can better understand both the sources of Stefan Knapp's work and the values he has guided throughout his life.

Robin Knapp's visit will remain one of the most important events accompanying the Toruń exhibition. It was a meeting that combined history, art and memory of an outstanding artist in an extremely natural and touching way. We hope that it will be the beginning of successive meetings, talks and joint actions to popularise Stefan Knapp's achievements and to preserve the memory of his extraordinary life and work for future generations.

Thank you very much, Robin,
Paul