Zachęta – National Gallery of Art

artists: Włodzimierz Pawlak, Mikołaj Smoczyński, Radek Szlaga, Andrzej Wróblewski, Wojciech Zamecznik
curators: Małgorzata Bogdańska, Maria Świerżewska and Joanna Waśko, collections and inventory department
professional collaboration: Magdalena Komornicka, Anna Kowalik, Michał Kożurno, Dorota Nowak, Karolina Puchała-Rojek (Archeology of Photography Foundation), Dorota Rakowska, Monika Supruniuk, Wojciech Grzybała (Andrzej Wróblewski Foundation)
film production: Barbara Kaja Kaniewska
exhibion design: Aleksandra Markowska

The slogan ‘BEFORE and AFTER’ used by beauty salons brings to mind spectacular metamorphoses, and the photos which usually accompany them leave absolutely no doubt as to the stages we deal with. Differences in works of art in the before and after stages may be visible, but often they are not noticeable to the viewer. The status BETWEEN, normally not revealed to the audience, includes complicated processes and activities, as well as important decisions regarding restoration.

These actions may be diverse in nature, ranging from preventive maintenance (protecting an object against factors affecting it negatively), to more intense processes, intruding the object, which are necessary to build supports, make fillings or retouching. The aim of the show is not to present simple comparisons, showing how the work has changed, but to focus on what happens between these activities, especially in the realm of studies and decisions made by the restorer that determine the end result of his or her work.

The show is constructed from works recently subject to restoration in Zachęta. They are accompanied by audiovisual material allowing to understand the decision-making process which resulted in certain operations on the objects, leading to the state AFTER. Both objects from the collection, as well as works on loan for specific exhibitions organized at the gallery (for the purposes of both exhibition and research) will be presented, among others photographs by Mikołaj Smoczyński which AFTER received completely new framing, and works by Andrzej Wróblewski, which never had been shown BEFORE.

Graphic design: Anna Piwowar