"Where were you Sep. 16 this year?" "On the promenade..." "peeing on a flower bed." "Here's a complaint..." "Your name?" "Name?" "My NIKIFOR" "THE SPA OF KRYNICA" "What's this, men?" "That's not like I told you." "The banner will fly away in a minute." "Nail it onto the frame well." "Sir!" "We're running out of red paint!" "This was to be ready an hour ago." "More to the right... yes." " You can't paint." " Pardon?" "The houses no good." " How do we put up the frame, sir?" " As usual." " The screws give..." " Should I stand over each of you?" "No water." "October Revolution bonus, boys!" "I've snatched it from the Party committee's teeth." "I see you're a mile behind with your work, huh?" "How can you get through to a mental?" "He's used all my gold paint, drunk all my tea..." "Get it?" "Shoo him out." "Is that a problem?" "Look..." "They take me to Kraków in the spring." "Well..." "I'm to be the boss of the Culture Dept." "I'm gathering a strong group that'll hang together..." "And I want you to come along." "Why me in Kraków?" "Why?" "Because a friend is asking." "You'll decide who's an artist and who isn't... and exhibit now and then." "Don't we get along well?" "Well, Marian..." "Who else can get you such a yummy orange?" "Help yourself..." "They'll finish school and what?" "Help old bags with peat baths till their dying day?" "But I've grown used to this place." " You've unplugged it?" " Sure." "What's keeping us here, Hanka?" "See how we've ended up?" "A receptionist and a short-order artist." "I told you to stay at the academy." "What about an apartment?" "I'm not returning to Mother." "I'd like to be someone who rides in a carriage... with horses that do clippety-clop." "I've seen it somewhere." " A coachman?" " Oh no!" " A princess in a carriage." " Exactly!" "Just kidding." " I'd like to be a nobody." " A nobody?" "You must be somebody or else you'll be unhappy." "And what's a short-order artist?" "A sleepy man..." "like me." "Why have you let him in?" "Should I've tussled with him?" "I thought you let him." "Nikifor's brought good houses..." "I'll teach you how to paint." "You can'tjust sit here." "I paint here, not you." "Got that?" "This is my studio." "Here." "Take your stuff and go." "You can take paints and paper if you like, but go now." "When are you going to leave then?" "Marian prefers in March while I, in April." "I'd like to stay here until after Easter..." "Okay, it's recorded." "What if I talk to Henio about your company apartment" " ...now that you're leaving?" " You could wangle something." "What time is it?" "12:45." "The kids are waiting!" "This is the last time I bought you that blueberry pastry." "Will you take a look then?" " I'm working." " It's just two minutes." " I won't go to look at carpets." " Only a minute." "I have to leave." "You can't stay here..." "You hear me?" "We all must leave." " Where will you put the carpet?" " On the ceiling." "Is this me?" "Why only my back?" "He could've painted me facing forward." "A nice gift." "He wanted you to leave and not to disturb..." "You must have ordered it." "Want some?" " No, I've brushed my teeth." " I asked you to clean up the bathtub..." "They have funds for anniversaries, but let the poor starve..." "Come on in, Nikifor, take a seat." "By the window to have more light." "So that you can paint." "Marian, get Nikifor some hot tea, okay?" "I'll get you some more paint." "What else will he need...?" "Some paper, yes?" "Three brushes..." "He may collapse, set fire to something..." " And then it's my ass." " We must take care of folk artists." "I have to work." "I can't nurse him." "Make a requisition for art supplies and have the secretary stamp it." "Have you read this?" "Is he of ordinary height or a dwarf?" "You know that you're like Nikifor?" "And you can't talk, just like he." "Well, well..." "And you're Nikifor's daughter." "Girls!" " Why not about you?" " Why should they?" "I thought when they wrote about artists of Krynica..." "My dear, you're mistaken." "Not about artists but folk talents." " He has hooves... and a tail." " You too..." " Did you paint his tongue?" " No, he doesn't have one." "All right." "End of drawing." "To the bathroom now." "I haven't started yet." "Please... go and wash up." " He has a tongue?" " Yes." "Glued-on..." " Did you paint his teeth?" " No, he doesn't have any." "The girls should have separate rooms." "Three pictures a day." "He's been painting for 50-60 years." "Come to think of it he's a like a factory." "Remember that old Czarnecka who made pots?" "We'd buy milk from her in Muszyna, remember?" "She was on TV." "They must've flipped out... really." "Where do you live, Nikifor?" "Your place suits him." "It does..." "He has a family and a home." "He should stay home and paint." "He pays me so I rent him." "Family, my ass!" "Why, he's a Lemko." "Nikifor, what's your last name?" "You've got an ID?" "Nikifor Painter..." "Nikifor Bishop..." "Nikifor Clock." "Clock..." "What was your mother called?" " Onocha... or something." " Onycha." "And your father?" "Budnik may know." "He's been going there since he was a kid." "Budnik?" "The beekeeper who lives on the way to the mount." "This is Wierchomla..." "Change the water more often or else your colors fade." "Yes?" " Mr. Budnik?" " Yeah..." "He used to come here but no more." "It's over now." "He made a studio here, dammit." "But he can't stay at my place..." "That's a business firm." "My boss has warned me already." "Had I been wiser, I wouldn't have let him darken my doorstep." "Hello..." "What d'you mean?" "You wanted honey, no?" "Here's honeydew." "Good day." "Know what?" "Don't mess with Rysiek." "You can stand Nikifor for 3 months." "Let him stay." "This I like best." "Why don't you put up some of yours?" "This should be taken in." "He's a risk to touch." "Mycosis all over." " How much?" " Forty." "For forty I can wash him myself." "Yeah?" "..." "Here then." "All right..." "Here..." "But could you cut his nails?" "Grooming for a wedding, huh?" " No good, no good." "No good!" " Try it on at least." "No good, new!" "Visitors won't give anything." " Are you putting it on?" " No!" "Then sit here naked." "Good day!" "What's this?" "Where are you going?" "You want the gold paint or not?" "Fuck it!" "Neither Nikifor nor Netyfor." "No such birth certificate on file." "But he hails from Krynica!" "There would be a trace at least of an ID issued or something." "By the way, how come you are interested in this?" "That fatso of the 3rd bitched again." "She's cold now." "Exactly." "Should've gone to Africa." "Oh my, my feet have swollen." "I'm thru with this batch of visitors and all that." "Eat this apple!" "You only munch bread and those paints..." "Come on eat." "How's your health, master?" "Master, don't you need anything?" " Nikifor!" "How about painting me?" " Waste of time." "What's he saying?" "What?" "All right." "Am I to steal them from him?" "You sometimes surprise me, really." "He sits around here for days, yes?" "Eats two lunches a day?" "Uses your art supplies too?" "Look, I need a few for Warsaw." "Go thru his doodles and pick up something... acceptable." "Don't paint!" "That's not Krynica..." "Don't..." "Is this supposed to be Berest?" "Where have you seen a station there?" " Station necessary." "People's feet hurt." " Pensions are necessary too." " Don't paint because they'll be." " I hope they will." "Don't because they'll be." "If you're such a painter, wash the brushes yourself." " I've told you thrice about it." " Don't paint because they'll be." "I'd like to buy a picture from you." "This is for visitors." " Exactly... for some from Warsaw." " Paint yourself." "I can't the way you do." " Why have you finished schools?" " Pardon?" "Why have you finished schools?" "The door." "Open it!" "I sometimes seem to think that you're a dream." " Dad, where're you going?" " On business." "May I come along?" "Where do you want to go?" "You can't even stand on your feet." "I can't." "Dr. Banach has inquired already." "No papers whatsoever." " Banach?" " Who mounts his exhibits..." "From Kraków." "Sounds familiar?" "All I know is hearsay." "And folks tell different things." "His mother would carry water to pensions." "As mute as he she was." "He's out of wedlock." "The father could've been a painter who'd come over here." " One Gie..." "Gierowski?" " Maybe Gierymski." "Right... sounds like it..." "Nikifor..." "Where's your mother buried?" " Here?" " In PowroŸnik." "Maybe in Muszyna...?" "In Tylicz?" "The bitch's born puppies..." "A large picture for the nave." "The Annunciation preferably." "Couldn't you come next week?" "I'll show you what I mean." "If I have the time..." " God bless you." " God be with you." "Don't paint saints." "Don't paint saints because you don't know them." "Jealous?" "Only you can do it?" "Nikifor knows heaven and hell, so he may paint them." "I'm sorry." "Say it to Ala and Ewa." "Can't you stay with your family even on Sunday?" "Krysia came over, took a close look at the flat and wanted to talk about details." "What could I've told her?" "No..." "A half of Krynica makes fun of us." "Ewa asked me yesterday:" ""Will Nikifor move in with us?"." " Put an end to this." " That's what I'm doing." "How goes it?" "You have it good here... warm." "Why have you come?" "You've forgotten these." "Go, go, go..." "Hello." "Sorry I got carried away then." "But we were concerned about our boy." "My wife burned all the pictures." "He licks those brushes..." "How do you know where the bug comes from?" "From paintjust as well." "Give him the honey with milk." "Just fine for his lungs." "Phthisis with chronic abscesses spread all over." " What's it mean?" " You must have a checkup." "And you your family too." "Excuse me." "I told you:" "Lock the door, don't let him into the studio." "Want me to remind you what you said?" "I must scald it!" "Nikifor won't go because he'll die." "Why die?" "That's a really beautiful hospital." "It's very nice up there." "I'd love to stay there myself for a while." "Nikifor must paint." "The visitors are waiting." "You will." "Nobody will stop you." "If a painter wants to paint, he has to be healthy." "You'll have a beautiful wood out there." "Nikifor hates woods." "You have holes in your lungs." "Nikifor went to no war, he has no holes." "He won't go to hospital because he'll die." "We don't need his consent." "But you must be his guardian." "It's just a formality." "A formality?" "To be entrusted with the care of someone till death is a formality?" "He won't last thru the winter." "No, no, no." "Sorry." "Maybe someone else but certainly not I." "Excuse me." "Who let you?" "Well?" "You think you're allowed everything?" "That the world revolves around you because of that article about you?" "!" "Dammit." " I'll have a Siamese." " Me too." "And a dog too." " You've talked with Rysiek?" " He had no time." "You don't say." " And a lizard." " Me too..." "Dad!" "Dad's tired..." "Go to bed, please." "Damned social worker hasn't visited ...his own father for 3 years." "Your mattress is in the closet." "You ill?" "..ill?" "One needs to work." "And this?" "What?" "Dymitr." "I could use a patron saint of drunkards." "My old man pawns everything for booze." "Nikifor!" "So what?" "Cool it, Hanka..." "I had typhus in the death camp and..." "Some tea?" "Miss Krysia!" "I told you to put the letters in chronological order, right?" "Two teas, please." "Nikifor, go home." "You understand?" "I ask you... go home!" "What're you doing?" "Go home, tramp!" "I don't want to see you ever again!" " How dare you?" "!" " Me?" "Talk to the boss!" "So you'll finally get a bonus?" " Just deserts!" " What can I do?" "You hold a grudge against me?" "When were you going to tell me?" "When I was sputum-positive?" "And I learn it from Hanka?" "!" "This is a health spa." "People come here to be cured, not infected." "He's no toy to throw out the window once you get bored." "So proud of your righteous indignation, aren't you?" "What's this bullshit?" "Not a word too much..." "Artists are a dime a dozen in Kraków, you know." "You want to tell me something?" "One of us had to be an adult." "That's good." "Itjams." "Your fears are over." "Ice cream today then, girls." "Ewa's allergic to egg white." "Once puberty comes, all that will go." "But you Mr. Marian will have to visit me once in two weeks." "Why?" "When you bring Nikifor's spit." "I'll get you ajar for this." "He no longer comes to the studio." "That makes a difference." "Why in bed?" "Why not on the promenade?" "Folks no good." "No painting." "You must." "We have to buy coal." "Bring water!" "You hear?" "There's no water." " Why have you drunk it?" " Me?" "It's those doodles of yours." "Want to infect my kid?" "Out with you." "Fast!" " I'd like one made of bricks." " No, made of wood." "Bricks?" "The dolls are from Krynica, so their house must be of wood." " All right..." " Bricks are out of place." " One wall may be of bricks..." " It'll look ugly!" " Pretty..." " No, ugly." " Let's try..." " Will look odd..." " Not in my room!" " Beside my bed." "Don't overdo it, Ewa..." "Haven't you noticed we have a common room?" "Beside my bed." "Not in my room!" "Sleep with mom and dad then!" "The brick wall will face away from you..." "I don't want to see it!" " Why, it's lovely..." " The brick wall's the ugliest." "It's not made yet." "Mom called." "She got me ajob at the Rose Hotel thru aunt Ela..." "Are you angry with me?" "These two extra for the perfume." " Here you are." " No need..." " Why don't you finish your tea?" " No, thanks." "I'll be back after Easter." "Watch out!" "It's slippery outside." "Why don't you go on an excursion?" "By car..." "We'll take in Orthodox churches..." " Nikifor was going to get married." " Who to?" "Helcia, but she fled." " Why?" " Nikifor's sick in the head." "Nikifor lived here." "When?" "The soldiers took away the whole village... and Nikifor too." "Where?" "Nikifor was wise and fled." " Took away where?" " Far, far away..." "Your painting no good..." "No good." "It'll tumble down." "You must paint from the ground up to the sky." "You don't choose the color right." "You must ask for color." " Ask who?" " You must ask for color." "It was Malczewski, sir, whom we call a painter." " You're his guardian, right?" " Yes." "Your ID, please." "Does he have any documents..." "health care...?" "None whatsoever." "Dr. Rosen said he'd get a single room." "As long as he's sputum-positive, yes..." "Reduce his personal things to the bare minimum." "I ask you." "Nikifor won't go." "He won't..." "because he'll die." "Let's get out." "He's wetted his pants." "He did?" "Why this special treatment?" "From his other side." "Quiet... quiet." "You understand him but I don't completely." "Nikifor, if a painter wants to paint, he must be healthy." "Oh, my friend." "Come to bed." "We're going to bed." "Wait, I don't get it." "He'll leave the hospital some day." "He'll get better and leave, right?" "And then?" "We'll take him along to Kraków?" "I see..." "We aren't going to Kraków." "Not now." "When?" "He won't live long." "Am I to wait till he dies or the kids?" "I don't want to die." "Don't be scared." "We've had checkups." "We're fine." "Remember the doctor measuring your inoculation?" "You don't have TB." "When you die, will you leave me your pencil box?" "Ala, out into the yard." "Quick!" "Tell them why nobody wants to play with them, and why they're mocked in school?" "Why did BoŸena fail to invite us to her birthday party the first time in ten years?" "She forgot, eh?" "Didn't you think about it?" "You, so oversensitive to what the people say?" "Once, Rysiek frowned at you, you stayed awake half a night." "How will you manage you creep?" "This is from the shoemaker." "I've had your black shoes soled." "Hanka, please." "Everything will fall in place." "Just help me." "Hanka, I can't write this application." "Could you help me?" "Sorry." "Mom's ill and I'm leaving for Kraków with the girls." "I'll keep them for a year and then will give them away." " My strength is flagging." " I can't believe it." " And how's your factory?" " I'm changing my job." "Very good." "That was not worth finishing college for." " How's Góralczyk?" " He's taken to drink." "No future for the young here." "Mom was right to urge you to leave." "How's your exhibit?" "If one has talent, one should paint." " And if one doesn't?" " Who's taken it away from you?" " Just one malicious review?" " Two..." "Never mind." "Why don't you bring the girls over?" "Must be fine lasses by now." "I've got troubles, dad." "I've blown it." "Good sled." "Will it last till Kraków?" "Then off you go." "What're you waiting for?" "Why don't you switch on the third set?" "Let's get up." " Will you need that wire?" " I'm sorry." "I've forgotten." " I can't rent you any more." " Why?" "With the money you pay." "There's so much risk." " What is it?" " I don't need TB." "Upstairs, the tongues are wagging already." "The gas bill is up and so is the price of meat since last week." "The roof needs fixing." "So much to be done." "Seems we'll be looking for an apartment." "It's good here." "All right." "Everywhere it's good at the beginning." "It hurts." "Nikifor isn't going." " You could've decided earlier." " Why have you sold the car?" " It broke down." " Why had you messed with it?" " Nails must be cut." " No." "They must be, I tell you." "Mine are cut." "Hello?" "Dr. Rosen, please." "Thank you..." "Artur?" "Shalom." "Marian speaking." "Could you drop by?" "No, everything's fine." "I just have this request." "Nikifor's not going." "I understand you perfectly." "I hate to travel too." "But Mr. Banach asked to bring him mushrooms." "He likes them very much." "They don't have such good things in town." "He wrote he'd run out of mushrooms and is very sad." "You are going." " Not much!" " There was no more." "You know what?" "I see you in defense." " Come off it." " I won't..." "Or else I'll move you to attack and you'll run a lot..." " When are you back?" " I'd like to stop in Kraków." "Ala has her birthday and I promised to come round for a day." "So get back quick and get your sneakers ready." "Want something to eat?" "No hot meal until Warsaw." "No." "Can you make ends meet living off him?" " Pardon?" " What's your cut?" "I live off my own work." "I don't envy you." "He makes me sick spitting in those brushes." "I get about $2,500 a month... honest." "And even $4,000 in season." "Bullshitting, eh?" "I didn't want those pictures gratis." "Now they even buy him in America." "You see, JadŸka, how little we know living here?" " My feet hurt." " Only ten steps." "You can do it." "Your feet hurt and I have a cold." "Come on." "NIKIFOR" " ZACHÊTA GALLERY 1967" "Wait here for a minute." "Closed today." "Only by invitation." "Good afternoon." "We have an appointment with the manager." " 2nd floor, please." " You've got an elevator?" " You'll always carry me." " Oh, sure." "Hello!" "You've arrived?" "Why didn't you call from the station?" "I'd have sent a car." "Hello." "Tired, aren't you?" "We have almost three hours so you can rest a bit..." "Come to my office." "Let me get the luggage." "I'll be right back." "Come to tea with rum..." "left after the Cuban exhibit." " Hello." " Hello." "Thank you for persuading him to come." "Thank you very much." "How are you Nikifor?" "You look great." "I was afraid they wouldn't print it on time." "Your catalogue." "Tadeusz Kantor sends greetings." "So does Mr. Uniechowski." "Remember teaching him to paint the Church of the Virgin Mary?" "He got nervous then, remember?" "Everybody's asking when you'll come to Kraków." "They're waiting for you." "Will you help me, Mr. Marian?" "Not for him." "He has it home." "Eat." "The other one for Ela." "I want her to taste it too." " Prof. Soko³owski?" " Yes." "I used to be your student." " Please remind me..." " Marian W³osiñski." "Oh sure!" "Now I remember." "Nice to meet you." "Excuse me." " Who was that?" " Nobody." "What Nikifor paints are charms, not a depiction of reality..." "So he paints a train station when he wants to travel, a bridge to cross it." " Maybe here?" " What?" "Bring a table here." " Why?" " To sell pictures!" "They're not yours." "You sold them." "But they've returned." "Nikifor will sell them." "You can't sell anything twice." " Why have we come here?" " People want to get to know you." "I've met my professor tonight." "A very nice man." "Waste of time." "Ladies and gentlemen, who have contributed to this exhibition, come to have your picture taken with Mr. Nikifor." "Minister, sir, please come over." "Professor..." "Come here ladies and gentlemen." "Where's Mr. Nikifor..." "Peter!" "Just a minute..." "How many times have I told you?" "No begging!" "I can't take it any more." "Rich visitors!" "It's a mistake!" "Excuse me..." "It's all wrong." "Rich visitors." "You were to watch the luggage." "I can't leave you even for 5 min." "Nikifor wants to go to Budnik." "I'll take you to him and you'll stay there." "I'll have some peace of mind at last." "For Ewa." "Witold Pruszkowski." "Not pretty." "Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko." "This is Grand Prince Witold of Lithuania and here the Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen of the Teutonic Order." "Too much noise." " Aleksander Gierymski..." " Waste of time." "What's that?" " What..." " Ala will go crazy about it..." " What's that?" " A turtle." "You've chosen wrong." "It's sick." "You know everything." "It walks like Nikifor." "You haven't chosen right." "It's sick." "What have you bought for me?" "Unbutton your coat or else you'll be hot." "And then doctors again." " For you?" " Well?" "A supply of batteries for half a year." "Let me put a new one in." " Are there radio sets?" " Where?" " In heaven." " Yes, there are." "There are?" " What sets?" " Big and small, all kinds." "There were none in the past." "Excuse me, he's calling you." "I went to wash up." "Something to drink?" "What do you want?" "A pencil?" "A crayon?" "Glasses maybe?" "A picture?" "Not this?" "This?" "Hanka will come." "You'll finish it." "You can paint." "You'll finish it." " You'll be well again." " You know how to paint." "You'll do it." "Last year in D¹browa, they helped him a lot with that drug." "Marian, let's leave him alone." "But it helped him a lot then." "Look I put on new stockings in the morning." "They do it on purpose to make you buy more." "Excuse me, may I have some Band-Aid?" "What about some tea?" "Dr. Rosen called..." "Stubborn as ever, Nikifor died a year later in the Folusz hospital." "NIKIFOR, his true name Epifan Drowniak (1895-1968), left about 40,000 pictures and drawings; considered one of the most outstanding naive painters of all time."