On Friday, the opening of the post-symposium exhibition took place. The works are displayed in the Pod Kopułą Gallery, specially built for the exhibition. This unusual open-air gallery presents works by fifteen artists from six countries. Poland was represented by: Mateusz Grobelny, the symposium commissioner; Krystyna Gay-Kutschenreiter, an honorary participant; Bogusław Dobrowolski, Kazimierz Kalkowski, Piotr Nowak, Edyta Orlińska, Marta Kisiliczyk, Michał Puszczyński and Evelina Wojtowicz; Ukraine by Ihor Kovalevych; Lithuania by Ruta Sipalyte; Spain by Joan Poch I Catala; Italy by Yuri Ragazzini and Luce Raggi; and India by Siraj Saxena.
The powerful forms created by Krystyna Gay-Kutchenreiter and Kalkowski’s refined composition draw attention. Inspired by the city, nature and cultural diversity, the artists created exceptional works reflecting their individual styles.
The international symposium in Bolesławiec is the only ceramic symposium in Poland to have been held continuously for 50 years. It is a prestigious event not only on Poland’s cultural map, but also worldwide. It effectively promotes the work of outstanding ceramic artists and sculptors from Poland and abroad. To mark the anniversary, as part of the Festival of Ceramics, works created in previous years during the Bolesławiec symposia will be presented in addition to the post-symposium exhibition at three accompanying exhibitions.
On Saturday, 23 August at 6:00 p.m., the opening of the exhibition “50 Years of Ceramic and Sculpture Symposia in Bolesławiec” will take place at the Ceramic Museum on Kutuzowa Street. Two exhibitions are being presented at the Town Hall in the Market Square from 22 to 24 August. The first features works by participants in previous symposia. The second exhibition, “The Women of My Life” (ceramic figurines made of glazed stoneware), presents sculptures by Marita Benke-Gajda. The artist is a lecturer at the Faculty of Sculpture of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. She has participated in the Bolesławiec symposia many times. Her works have been shown several times at exhibitions at BOK-MCC and the Ceramic Museum.
Sculptures created during the Bolesławiec symposia can also be seen in the lobby of BOK-MCC and in the display window of the Agora Bookshop in the Market Square.
This year’s 50th International Ceramic and Sculpture Symposium took place in Bolesławiec from 2 to 27 June. The artists worked at three Bolesławiec ceramic companies: Zakłady Ceramiczne „BOLESŁAWIEC” Sp. z o.o., „Ceramika Artystyczna” Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego and Fabryka Naczyń Kamionkowych „Manufaktura” Sp. J. Smoleński & Zwierz.
During the symposium, three artist talks and multimedia presentations were held with the participation of residents and visitors, during which the artists presented their artistic achievements. As part of the anniversary symposium, an exhibition of sculptures and artistic ceramics by Bolesławiec artist Janina Bany-Kozłowska was presented at the BOK-MCC gallery.
The 50th International Ceramic and Sculpture Symposium in Bolesławiec is being carried out as part of the ARGINET project, co-financed by the European Union under the Culture programme. The project aims to promote dialogue and intercultural exchange in Europe through a system of innovative international cooperation activities involving cultural operators in the ceramics sector. The project’s implementation will enable greater mobility and the operation at a transnational level of the achievements and experience of individual partners in the fields of artistic ceramics and ceramic crafts. ARGINET proposes introducing, within the existing network of events, an exchange and development programme promoting the participation of artists and ceramic initiatives on a European scale.
The 20th Bolesławiec Festival of Ceramics is being carried out as part of the ARGINET project, co-financed by the European Union under the Culture programme. The organiser of the 20th Bolesławiec Festival of Ceramics is Bolesławiecki Ośrodek - Międzynarodowe Centrum Ceramiki.
