The gondola, which stands in the window of the Agora bookshop, was prepared for the exhibition “Joachim: Paris, Venice, Casablanca”, promoting Grażyna Hanaf’s book. One of the book’s characters, Grandma Róża’s garden gnome, was styled as a gondolier and needed a Venetian taxi.
– I asked BOK-MCC director Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska for support in preparing the photo exhibition – Grażyna Hanaf recounts. – At Forum, I prepared photos of the book in Paris, while at the Agora bookshop, where Józefina and Marek Witas made their window available to me, I wanted to put on an exhibition of photos from Venice and dress the gnome as a gondolier. I was missing only the gondola. I had long known the talent of Waldek Cieślak, who now works at BOK-MCC. I asked him to paint me a gondola – the writer adds.
Waldek Cieślak did not paint the gondola; together with Paweł Sponar he made a two-metre boat from polystyrene scraps. – I concluded that the gnome from “Joachim” deserved a real gondola – says the designer. – Together with Paweł, we analysed how gondolas are built, learned about their construction and made one in gnome size – Waldek Cieślak adds.
Waldek Cieślak and Paweł Sponar also worked together on another project. They created a copy of the Baroque steps of Bolesławiec Town Hall, used during this year’s president’s awards ceremony and the musical “Romek i Julcia”, promoting the workshops of the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre–International Ceramic Centre.
Waldek Cieślak and another artist, Tomasz Kaluzka, created unusual decorations for the Primary School named after the Second Polish Army in Tomaszów Bolesławiecki. On the walls of the school corridors, they painted characters from the students’ favourite fairy tales and historical scenes referring to the institution’s namesake. We wrote about it in the article “A Colourful School in Tomaszów”.
– I was shocked when I saw the gondola for the first time – says Grażyna Hanaf. – I expected a drawing, but received a beautiful Venetian boat. It is a great gift, and I am very grateful to both builders. I would also like to emphasise how talented the people working at BOK-MCC are and the passion with which they are able to create – Hanaf adds.
On the “Joachim” fan page, photos from the exhibition and the stories connected with them will be published. On Grażyna Hanaf’s website, you can find all the information about and reviews of the book “Joachim”.
(information: ii)