At the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre – International Ceramics Centre, an exhibition of works created during the 61st International Ceramic and Sculpture Symposium was opened. It is an event with a long tradition, attended by artists from Poland and abroad. Despite this, the most important representatives of the city authorities were absent from the opening.
Neither Bolesławiec Mayor Piotr Roman nor his deputies attended. Many city councillors were absent as well. It is difficult not to notice this, because the event is presented by the city itself and its institutions as an important element of Bolesławiec’s ceramic tradition and the promotion of the city.
The location of the presentation is an additional problem. The exhibition was arranged in the corridor of BOK-MCC because the centre does not have a suitable exhibition hall where it could be presented in more representative conditions.
Ten artists from Poland and abroad
The exhibition features works by ten artists: Weronika Chrząstek, Michał Dziekan, Michał Gdak, Lena Kłosińska, Anna Literacka, Natalia Matviichuk, Hiep Nguyen, Iryna Radkevich, Julia Solecka and Oskar Wiśniowski.
During the symposium, the artists worked at the “BOLESŁAWIEC” Ceramic Works, the “Ceramika Artystyczna” Artistic Handicraft Cooperative and the “Manufaktura”.
This allowed them to use the professional facilities of Bolesławiec’s plants, learn about local technologies and at the same time pursue their own artistic ideas.
During the opening, Michał Gdak, the symposium curator, spoke. He thanked the people and institutions involved in organizing the event and supporting the artists.
People who created the symposium’s history were present
The opening was attended by people who have been associated with Bolesławiec ceramics for decades.
Present was Krystyna Gay-Kutschenreiter, a sculptor, educator and long-serving artistic curator of the symposium. She has been associated with Bolesławiec since 1964. For more than 30 years, she trained staff for the local ceramics industry, and from 1990 she was the curator of the National Ceramic and Sculpture Symposium, which later became an international event.
Also attending the opening was Janina Bany-Kozłowska, a designer associated for many years with the “BOLESŁAWIEC” Ceramic Works and a former symposium curator. She is the author of more than 1,600 vessel designs that went into serial production.
A rather telling picture therefore emerged: the opening was attended by people who had shaped the history of Bolesławiec ceramics and the symposium itself over the years, while the most important representatives of the current city authorities were absent.
The exhibition at BOK-MCC can be viewed until 31 August.