NAZAR BILYK (b. 1979)

Sculpture: polymer materials, incorporating an original autograph of Pope John Paul II

This work by Ukrainian artist Nazar Bilyk presents a conceptual sculpture in which an authentic autograph of Pope John Paul II is embedded within the austere and symbolically charged form of a cross.

The inscription “Pax Vobis” (“Peace be with you”) accompanies the signature, forming a rare historical artifact connected to one of the most influential spiritual figures of the 20th century. Elected on October 16, 1978, John Paul II became the first non-Italian pope in over four centuries.

The transparent cross, executed in polymer materials, embodies a duality of openness and inaccessibility. The artifact, placed within, remains visible yet physically untouchable, transforming it into an object of contemplation and introspection.

The work reflects key concerns in Bilyk’s artistic practice — the exploration of perception, and the boundaries between the internal and the external, the material and the immaterial.

The result is a piece that transcends both sculpture and religious symbolism, emerging as an art object at the intersection of spiritual history, conceptual art, and museum-level collecting.