The film for which Jan received an Oscar was entitled Dreamer. It is noteworthy that Jan Andrzej Paweł Kaczmarek has received numerous other awards, to the extent that it may appear that he has received every possible honor. Awards are always “for something,” for past achievements.
One becomes a star “for something”, which in this case is Memory, which means the Future.
In this manner, Łódź demonstrated respect and care for the continuity of culture. This is how Łódź remembers. Great creators are our future. For us, Jan Kaczmarek will always be one of them. He is the one who, in the unanimous opinion of the city and ourselves, deserved his own peculiar, seemingly flat star – like a Łódź sidewalk.
Last year he celebrated his 70th birthday – he was born in Konin, and grew up in Poznań. He was a citizen of the world by choice. He was a beautiful man and a difficult genius, a fulfilled artist as well. He had to overcome many challenges in his life. He spent a significant part of his life navigating the intricate matter of dreams, scenes, and performances. He was a man perfectly at home in this nebula of meanings. Please convey to Jan Kaczmarek that there is no future without dreamers! Our city is part of a great dream. Both we and this city are here because our predecessors knew how to dream.
Jan Kaczmarek has a star in Łódź. In a deeply human sense, Jan is from here. However, Łódź also deserves Jan Kaczmarek’s star. The artist composed music for over seventy films. A constellation comprising of seventy distinct points is regarded by ancient astrologers as a significant and comprehensive representation of an intriguing human life.
Astronomers posit that stars reside in clusters that lack any form of collective memory. Unlike cities – human constellations , which are often galaxy-sized proportions, these celestial bodies strive to preserve a collective memory. In Łódź, we do what we can, emphasizing our own rhythm by arranging an ornament from the stars we know. This is done only when we are certain that this is the moment, this is the person. It is our hope that the pattern created from stars beneath our feet will lead us to a greater understanding of what is important for all of us. In such an occasion a city that is energetic, lively, and mercantile should be able to learn something on its own account. It would be beneficial to take a moment to pause, place an ear down, and listen more deeply. Jan has passed away, and today he is with us only symbolically. However, we are with him completely realistically. And it will remain so.
Photo by Marek Poray-Heywowski