St Andrews strengthens links with Poland

Three Polish students have arrived at the University of St Andrews as part of an exchange trip organised by the School of Art History.

Barbara Kesek, Magdalena Grzyb and Piotr Grotowski – all postgraduate students from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow – will remain in St Andrews until June. A group of St Andrews postgraduates led by Shona Lowe, Teaching Fellow in the School of Art History will accompany them on their return journey.

Barbara is carrying out research on Polish artists active in Paris and London in the early 20th Century and, in particular, Louis Marcoussis; Magdalena is working on the intriguing but virtually unknown Polish painter Jozeph Langer; while Piotr Grotowski, who is a Byzantinist, has a special interest in the iconography of warrior saints.

Professor Peter Humfrey, Head of the School of Art History at St Andrews, believes the exchange trip is an extremely valuable experience for both parties – “Academic exchanges between our two historic universities have existed in the past but this is the first time that art history students from Cracow have visited St Andrews. We welcome them very warmly and hope that their time here is enjoyable and stimulating. We also hope that their visit will lead to many more such contacts in the future”.

The students’ visit follows a trip to Cracow last November by Professor Humfrey and is made possible by generous grants from the Ottokar Sykora Trust.

Issued by Beattie Media on behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information please contact Claire Grainger on 01334 462530, 07887 650072 or email [email protected] Ref: poland/standrews/chg/18feb2000/ PR1893