Very Diverse and Very Exquisite Graphics from the collection of Zachęta

09.11.2018 – 20.01.2019 Very Diverse and Very Exquisite Graphics from the collection of Zachęta

Zachęta – National Gallery of Art

curators: Małgorzata Bogdańska, Joanna Egit-Pużyńska, Maria Świerżewska (collection and inventory department)
exhibition design and visual identification: Lotne Studio
exhibition production: Anna Muszyńska, Krystyna Sielska and team
artists: Antoni Alster, Alojzy Balcerzak, Janina Biała-Szypuła, Krystyna Bieniek, Edward Biszorski, Antoni Boratyński, Elżbieta Bors, Ryszard Bors, Stanisław Borysowski, Zofia Broniek, Franciszek Bunsch, Franciszek Burkiewicz, Halina Chrostowska, Stefan Damski, Maria Dawska, Stanisław K. Dawski, Barbara Dega-Komitowska, Mieczysław Detyniecki, Ryszard Leon Dudzicki, Wanda Ficowska-Wapińska, Jacek Gaj, Stanisław Gawron, Józef Gielniak, Magdalena Gomulicka-Damska, Maria Hiszpańska-Neumann, Tadeusz Jackowski, Teresa Jakubowska, Zenon Januszewski, Władysław Jarocki, Mieczysław Jurgielewicz, Andrzej Kandziora, Danuta Kołwzan-Nowicka, Izolda Kotlarczyk, Józef Kotlarczyk, Zygmunt Kotlarczyk, Bogna Krasnodębska-Gardowska, Janina Kraupe-Świderska, Ryszard Krzywka, Irena Kuran-Bogucka, Jadwiga Leśkiewicz-Zgieb, Benon Liberski, Maria Łuszczkiewicz-Jastrzębska, Mieczysław Majewski, Marian Malina, Lucjan Mianowski, Tadeusz Milewski, Maciej Modzelewski, Jerzy Napieracz, Barbara Narębska-Dębska, Anna Nehringowa, Bronisław Nowicki, Emilia Nóżko-Paprocka, Danuta Osadczy, Józef Pakulski, Jerzy Panek, Olga Peczenko-Srzednicka, Andrzej Pietsch, Edmund Piotrowicz, Henryk Płóciennik, Janusz Przybylski, Aleksander Rak, Stefan Rassalski, Łukasz Rogiński, Leszek Rózga, Andrzej Rudziński, Marek Sapetto, Roman Skowron, Konrad Srzednicki, Paweł Steller, Stefan Suberlak, Ewa Śliwińska, Aleksander Turek, Wacław Waśkowski, Maria Wąsowska, Mieczysław Wejman, Teresa Wierus

Graphics are the most numerous and at the same time the least known works in the Zachęta collection. The individual objects included in the exhibitions have never allowed the broader audiences to look at the whole of the collection in a broader way. Therefore, we wanted to recall a genre that occupied such an important place on the artistic scene a few decades ago, and over the last 30 years has been gradually marginalised. The 2,100 works in our collection are a very diverse set in terms of style, quality and form; with particularly outstanding works from the 1960s. We noticed their consistency, high artistic level, as well as combination of traditional techniques with the search for new formal solutions, so characteristic of graphic arts.

This is the first presentation of a workshop graphic arts from the Zachęta collection. The selection focuses on the period determined conventionally by two exhibitions organised by the Central Office of Artistic Exhibitions — the 1st National Exhibition of Graphic Arts and Drawing in 1956 and the Graphic Arts in the Polish People’s Republic in 1971. It was a time of great significance of this medium, which could be seen in particular in the activity of our institution — many successful graphic arts exhibitions took place in Zachęta at that time, including national presentations, reviews, anniversary exhibitions as well as individual shows. In 1962, for example, the CBWA prepared 55 exhibitions, ten of which were exhibitions of graphics. At the same time, the institution organised travelling exhibitions aimed at promoting and educating the audiences, presented in local BWA branches, community centres and even workplaces. In some years as many as 10 sets of graphics were circulating in Poland at the same time!

In an attempt to recreate the history of Zachęta’s collection, we used archive materials. It was fascinating to discover the history of individual works, and how many of them were presented at these exhibitions. This became the key to the selection of about 200 works by 80 artists, while the narrative of the exhibition, inspired by specific shows, was built on the basis of the most popular themes at that time.

‘The richness of techniques, experimentation, the search for new forms of artistic expression on the one hand, and perfect use of spots, lines and colour on the other — all this shows us how far the graphic arts has departed from its traditional narrow circle’, wrote Kira Gałczyńska in Kurier Polski about the 2nd National Exhibition of Graphic Arts and Drawing in 1959. There are many such reviews: often emotional, engaged, and even if critical of particular works or exhibitions, they always emphasise the high level of this field of art. The title of our exhibition was also inspired by one of them: (haes), ‘Very diverse and very exquisite. 4th National Exhibition of Graphic Arts’ (Słowo Powszechne, no. 300, 1969). We also found photographs documenting old exhibitions, posters and catalogues of the project by outstanding graphic designers interesting and fascinating. In order to present a broader context, as well as the 1960s atmosphere of Zachęta, we decided to present some of these materials next to the graphics themselves.

We regularly organise exhibitions of collections related to various aspects of their creation, profiling and functioning. Once again, the history of the institution becomes an important point of reference for the presentation of the works; however, what is also important here, is to present the individual works, which charm with their originality, to the general audience.


Wejman Mieczysław, Cyclist IX A, 1970, from the Zachęta collection

Exhibition guide in Polish Sign Language

00:00/00:00
Catalogs of archival graphic arts exhibitions
  • Grafika obiektu: Graphic Arts in People's Republic of Poland (in Polish)
    mediateka / books
    Graphic Arts in People's Republic of Poland (in Polish)
Related media
  • mediateka / audio
    Thaw and modernization of art
    Lecture by Piotr Słodowski (in Polish)
  • Grafika obiektu: 3D Exhibition: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite
    mediateka / 3D documentation
    3D Exhibition: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite
    Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
  • Grafika obiektu: Invitation to Zachęta Signs! in Polish Sign Language
    mediateka / Polish Sign Language
    Invitation to Zachęta Signs! in Polish Sign Language
  • Grafika obiektu: Invitation to Zachęta Signs! in Polish Sign Language
    mediateka / Polish Sign Language
    Invitation to Zachęta Signs! in Polish Sign Language
  • Grafika obiektu: Exhibition guide (Polish Sign Language)
    mediateka / Polish Sign Language
    Exhibition guide (Polish Sign Language)
    Very Diverse and Very Exquisite Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
  • Grafika obiektu: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
    mediateka / posters
    Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
  • Grafika obiektu: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
    mediateka / posters
    Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
  • Grafika obiektu: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
    mediateka / video-documentation
    Very Diverse and Very Exquisite. Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
    Video documentation
Related events
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    11.11.2018 (Sun) 12:15
    Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Exhibition manual. Workshops for adults (in Polish)
    17.11.2018 (Sat) 17:00
    Exhibition manual. Workshops for adults (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Family workshops (in Polish)
    18.11.2018 (Sun) 12:30
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  • Grafika wydarzenia: Curatorial walk-through accompanying the exhibition "TVery Diverse and Very Exquisite" (in English)
    18.11.2018 (Sun) 17:00
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    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    25.11.2018 (Sun) 12:15
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  • Grafika wydarzenia: Graphic Art. How it works? Family workshops (in Polish)
    25.11.2018 (Sun) 12:30
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  • Grafika wydarzenia: Friday at five. Thematic guided tour (in Polish)
    30.11.2018 (Fri) 17:00
    Friday at five. Thematic guided tour (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Print that tell a story. Family workshop (in Polish)
    02.12.2018 (Sun) 12:30
    Print that tell a story. Family workshop (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Accessible art. Guided tour for the blind (in Polish)
    05.12.2018 (Wed) 17:00
    Accessible art. Guided tour for the blind (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: What Does an Artist Do? - family workshops for children with autism (in Polish)
    08.12.2018 (Sat) 12:30
    What Does an Artist Do? - family workshops for children with autism (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: A game of prints. Workshops for adults (in Polish)
    08.12.2018 (Sat) 17:00
    A game of prints. Workshops for adults (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Looking / Seeing. Contemporary art and the seniors (in Polish)
    14.12.2018 (Fri) 12:15
    Looking / Seeing. Contemporary art and the seniors (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Zachęta Signs! Family workshops for the deaf ( in Polish Sign Language)
    15.12.2018 (Sat) 16:00
    Zachęta Signs! Family workshops for the deaf ( in Polish Sign Language)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Saturday ArtWalk: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite
    15.12.2018 (Sat) 17:00
    Saturday ArtWalk: Very Diverse and Very Exquisite
    Guided tour in English
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    16.12.2018 (Sun) 12:15
    Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Christmas Family Workshop (in Polish)
    16.12.2018 (Sun) 12:30
    Christmas Family Workshop (in Polish)
    Zachęta / workshop room (entrance through the main hall)Zachęta / workshop room (entrance through the main hall)
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Zachęta Signs! Guided tour for the deaf ( in Polish Sign Language)
    19.12.2018 (Wed) 18:00
    Zachęta Signs! Guided tour for the deaf ( in Polish Sign Language)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Christmas guided tour (in Polish)
    26.12.2018 (Wed) 12:15
    Christmas guided tour (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: New Year's guided tour (in Polish)
    01.01.2019 (Tue) 17:00
    New Year's guided tour (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    13.01.2019 (Sun) 12:15
    Sunday guided-tours (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Thaw and modernizing art
    17.01.2019 (Thu) 18:00
    Thaw and modernizing art
    Lecture by Piotr Słodkowski (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Friday at five. Thematic guided tour (in Polish)
    18.01.2019 (Fri) 17:00
    Friday at five. Thematic guided tour (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta
  • Grafika wydarzenia: Family workshops (in Polish)
    20.01.2019 (Sun) 15:00
    Family workshops (in Polish)
    Zachęta – National Gallery of ArtZachęta

Information

Very Diverse and Very Exquisite
Graphics from the collection of Zachęta
09.11.2018 – 20.01.2019

Zachęta – National Gallery of Art
pl. Małachowskiego 3, 00-916 Warsaw
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Godziny otwarcia:
Tuesday – Sunday 12–8 p.m.
Thursday – free entry
ticket office is open until 7.30 p.m.