Adam Kossowski

Adam Kossowski (1905 - 1986)
Aylesford Priory in Aylesford, Kent

Adam Kossowski (1905 - 1986) was a Polish artist notable for his works for the Catholic church in the United Kingdom.

Kossowski had been captured in Warsaw in 1939, and was held for three years of the Second World War in a slave labour camp in the Soviet Union.

He arrived in Britain from the Russian labour camps in 1942, and was soon invited to join the Guild of Catholic Artists and Craftsmen.

Many of his works can be seen at Our Lady of the Assumption & St. Simon Stock, Aylesford Priory in Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7BX

Adam Kossowski and St Benet

Adam Kossowski (1905 - 1986)
The New Jerusalem
Mural ('Sgraffito)
St Benet's , Queen Mary, London

The chapel at St Benet's Chaplaincy, Queen Mary, University of London, London open to all students and staff at Queen Mary, University of London.

The chapel is named after St Benedict. The chapel replaced the original St Benet`s church which was bombed in 1940.

The interior walls have a series of murals by Adam Kossowski, depicting seven main scenes from the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of St John. They form one of the most impressive examples of 'sgraffito work in England.

'Sgraffito, is an ancient technique which essentially involves carving through a thin layer of soft plaster to reveal a darker base.

For more images and commentary see Murals at St Benet's Chaplaincy

St. Thomas’ Church, Rainham, Kent

Adam Kossowski. (1905 - 1986)
St. Joseph, seated, with the Child Jesus at his side and angels
St Thomas of Canterbury, Rainham, Kent

Adam Kossowski.(1905 - 1986)
The Lady Chapel
St Thomas of Canterbury, Rainham, Kent

Similar designs by Kossowski may be seen at Aylesford Priory.

The ceramic work must have been completed at about the time of the church’s opening on April 28th 1958.

St Aidan: Old Oak Common Lane, Hammersmith

Adam Kossowski 1905-1986
Mural painting 1958-1961
St Aidan : Interior view, baptistery with ceramic mural
Old Oak Common Lane, Hammersmith

Graham Vivian Sutherland 1903-1980
Painting 1958-1961
St Aidan: Interior view, chancel looking south east, towards painting
Old Oak Common Lane, Hammersmith

Altar 1958-1961
St Aidan : Interior view, looking east towards altar
Old Oak Common Lane, Hammersmith

Arthur Fleischmann (1896-1990)
Screens (furniture) 1960
St Aidan: Interior view, engraved glass screen
Old Oak Common Lane, Hammersmith

The Church was opened in 1960.

St Aidan's houses an extraordinary collection of contemporary art in glass, perspex, ceramic, wood and paintings, especially Graham Sutherland's Great Crucifixion