Małgorzata Dżygadło-Niklaus

Graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology and the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (theatre scenography in Józef Szajna’s studio) and Art Therapy at the Interdepartmental Postgraduate Studies in Gdańsk. She has lived and worked in Nowe Kawkowo for over thirty years. In the years 1982-85 at the Gardzienice Centre for Theatre Practices. Author of scenography for the play Żywot protopopa Awwakuma. After leaving Gardzienice, she designed the set and costumes for the play Brama księżycowego wędrowca directed by Johann Wolfgang Niklaus (1985). Co-founder of the Węgajty Village Theatre, where she worked until 2002 (last performances of The Canterbury Tales). Author of scenography (including sculptural forms), costumes and props for performances:The Book of nigunim, The Vincenz Stories, The Inn Towards Eternal Peace and The Caterbury Tales. In The Book… , The Inn… and The Tales... also a performer and actress. From 1994 to 2022 in the Węgajty Schola. She prepared stagings and created scenographies (costumes, props, procession float and icons) for medieval liturgical dramas directed by J. W. Niklaus: Ordo Stellae, Ludus Paschalis, Planctus Mariae, Ordo Annuntiatione (1995-1998), Ludus Danielis (2000), Ludus Passionis (2003), musical dramas: Miracula Santi Nicolai (2007) and Gry o św. Franciszku (2010) and to the Eastern Byzantine Office – The Three Young Men. She performed vocal roles in the Schola’s dramas and concerts. In 1995-2011, she worked as an instructor at the Centre for Education and Cultural Initiatives in Olsztyn, co-leading theatre workshops in Węgajty. In her work at the Laurentius Social Welfare Home in Olsztyn she applied art therapy methods (2013). For 19 years she has been working with Byzantine iconography. She studied icon writing in: Kraków, Bielsk Podlaski, Evangelismos Monastery on the island of Patmos and Varatec Monastery in Romania. Since 2010, she has been running the Warmia Icon Workshop in Nowe Kawkowo and icon-writing workshops in many places. She is constantly and strenuously studying the possibilities of combining art, icon writing and the practice of Christian meditation. Her icons have been presented at many exhibitions.