Minister of Culture Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz has decided that the originally selected exhibition ‘Polish exercises in the tragic world. Between Germany and Russia. A reserve project for the exhibition “Repeat after me” will be sent for implementation – it was announced on the ministry’s website on Friday. The decision was criticized by Piotr Gliński.
The Minister of Culture and National Heritage, who is currently Commissioner for the Polish Pavilion, after analyzing the competition procedures for the exhibition design as part of the 60th International Art Exhibition in Venice in 2024 and after taking note of the opinions and voices of the communities accepted the decision not to implement the curatorial project Piotr Bernatowicz and Dariusz Karłowicz with the participation of Ignacy Trzecios. In accordance with regulations, the reserve project of the exhibition “Repeat after me”, submitted by curator Marta Czyż with the participation of Open Group (Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach, Anton Varga) is submitted for implementation.
– says the Ministry of Culture. .
The announcement added that Zachęta Gallery will remain responsible for the organization and production of the exhibition and will take care of the Polish Pavilion in Venice.
- The International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia – runs from April 20 to November 24, 2024. The main theme is ‘Foreigners are everywhere’. Adriano Pedrosa became general curator.
In the autumn, former Minister of Culture Piotr Gliński accepted the exhibition project “Polish exercises in the tragic world. Between Germany and Russia”, curators Piotr Bernatowicz and Dariusz Karłowicz with the participation of the painter Ignacy Trzecios. The project was selected from 24 eligible entries entered the competition by the jury consisting of: Prof. Elżbieta Banecka, Andrzej Biernacki, Prof. Tadeusz Boruta, Jarosław Denisiuk, Jagna Domżalska, Dr. Janusz Janowski (chairman), Janusz Kapusta, Agnieszka Komar-Morawska, Ph.D. Zbigniew Makarewicz, Dr. Maciej Mazurek, Prof. Ph.D. Kazimierz Nowosielski, Urszula Święcicka, Joanna Warsza and Dr. Karolina Ziębińska-Lewandowska.
The exhibition of Ignacy Trzecios, which we would like to present at the Venice Biennale, is the fruit of a deep reflection on the tragic history of the 20th century.
– wrote the project curators.
The tragic nature of the world – as the artist tells us from the depth of his Polish experience – is its inalienable characteristic. The world does not consist of a simple pattern, but is full of irreconcilable contradictions, conflicts of interest and ideas, dilemmas for which there are no simple solutions.
– added.
Instead of the exhibition ‘Polish exercises in the tragic world. However, the exhibition “Repeat after me” will be presented in Venice.
It is an attempt to show the brutality of war without using drastic visual means. The video participants are citizens temporarily resettled from different regions of Ukraine to the war refugee camp in Lviv, sharing their memories and knowledge about the sounds of war. Playing different types of weapons, they perform a kind of karaoke instruction, which, although they emit simple sound sequences, are still unable to convey the experience that exists nearby, the experience that has become the price for this knowledge.
— wrote the authors of the project.
To bring viewers closer to the experience of witnessing the war in Ukraine, the creators use the formula of karaoke – a popular musical entertainment originating from Japan. In this case, however, the accompaniment does not consist of well-known hits, but of gunshots, cannons, howls and explosions, and the lyrics are descriptions of deadly weapons. It is the soundtrack of the war that its witnesses try to imitate. The makers show that contemporary art does not have to be hermetic and can be close to contemporary experiences. They involve the audience in interaction and, through the form of the project prepared for the Polish pavilion, try to break the passivity in which we find ourselves as listeners of war stories.
– added.
““Guardian” in a text entitled “Anti-European Manifesto” drew attention to the work announced by Trzecios, which was supposed to depict a burning swastika connecting Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin. Parts of the Polish artistic community also protested against sending Ignacy Trzecios’ works to the Biennale.
Gliński’s response
Prof. commented on Sienkiewicz’s decision in critical contributions. Piotr Glinski. The former head of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage criticized the decision of the new head of the ministry.
Another Sienkiewicz scandal! After the destruction of the public media and the dismissal of the director. Zachęta, tonight the outstanding painter Ignacy Trzecios received information from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage that he will not represent Poland at the Venice Biennale
– we are reading.
Legally elected, as every year, by the competent committee. Censorship and lawlessness. What a nonsense row. And it is worth getting acquainted with the work on the Internet. What are they afraid of? Even though they advertised it all over the world!
– writes Gliński.
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Source: wPolityce