A Year with the Museum of Ceramics

In 2013, the Museum of Ceramics carried out many diverse projects: exhibitions, publications and workshops. The largest-scale activities were conducted as part of international projects co-financed by European Union funds.

A modern museum – attractive cross-border education

The project, carried out since 2010 in cooperation with Schlesisches Museum zu Görlitz and numerous museums from Poland and abroad, aimed, in addition to scientific and research tasks, to implement modern methods of museum education. It was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Poland-Saxony Cross-Border Cooperation Operational Programme 2007–2013.

During the presentation of the exhibition “At the Sources of Bolesławiec Ceramics. Bolesławiec as One of the Centres of Central European Pottery from the 15th to the 17th Century,” a special visiting programme was prepared with the youngest visitors in mind. Children had the opportunity to learn about local pottery traditions and old Bolesławiec as seen through the eyes of Gawełek, the ceramic horse. Information was conveyed through games and activities in a specially prepared educational booklet and, in a practical way, during classes at numerous workshop stations.

As part of this project, another international exhibition, “Bolesławiec Ceramics on the Road to Modernity,” was presented from May to July. It showed Bolesławiec stoneware in the first half of the 20th century, when it became an exclusive product valued throughout the world. The exhibition, prepared from the collections of numerous museums and private collections in Poland and Europe, was accompanied by an extensive bilingual catalogue presenting more than 1,500 top-quality Bolesławiec stoneware objects. This exhibition, too, was accompanied by an educational trail full of attractions and surprises.

“Gardens of Living Tradition – Protecting the Shared Heritage of the Polish-Czech Borderland” The project, conducted since 2011 jointly with the Museum of the Karkonosze National Park in Vrchlabi, is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Czech Republic–Poland Cross-Border Cooperation Operational Programme 2007–2013. Its aim is to learn about customs and culture on both sides of the border through the celebration of traditional holidays and events throughout the year. The project included exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations presenting Polish and Czech traditions and customs during Easter, Christmas, St. John’s Night and the Harvest Festival.

“Via Fabrilis – Traditional Crafts Trail II”

The project continues an initiative awarded in 2012 in the Ministry of Regional Development’s “Poland Grows Beautiful – 7 Wonders of European Funds” competition. The second part of the project, carried out jointly with the Museum of the Karkonosze National Park in Vrchlabi, develops the idea of a tourist trail connecting Bolesławiec with Vrchlabí and promoting places associated with traditional crafts characteristic of the region. The project is co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund under the Czech Republic–Poland Cross-Border Cooperation Operational Programme 2007–2013. Its first component was a comprehensive renovation of the historic Museum of Ceramics building at 13 Mickiewicza Street in Bolesławiec. The work included restoration of the façade and a new roof, as well as adapting the attic for a conservation workshop and storage rooms.

Napoleon and the Siberians in Bolesławiec

The Museum of Ceramics carried out many activities jointly with other Bolesławiec institutions. These included a series of events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Napoleonic campaign in Silesia. The activities were organised in cooperation with the Bolesławiec City Office as part of two cross-border projects, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget with the support of Euroregion Nysa. They included:

• The exhibition “1813–2013. The Bicentenary of the Napoleonic Campaign in Silesia in 1813,” presented from September to October. It was prepared using the Museum of Ceramics’ own collections and a number of objects loaned from other museums and private collections in Poland, Russia and Germany. Alongside weapons and uniforms from the period, works of art were presented—paintings, prints and figurines commemorating the most important figures and events of the time.
• The historical reconstruction “The Battle for Bolesławiec in 1813” took place on the banks of the Bóbr, by the viaduct. The historical performance, staged on 7 September, reconstructed the battle for Bolesławiec between French forces and troops of the anti-Napoleonic coalition, which took place in August 1813. Crowds of Bolesławiec residents watched the military historical presentation, which used black-powder weapons and cannons. After the show, visitors could, among other things, purchase the publication “Napoleonic Tales of Bolesławiec” by Andrzej Olejniczak and Tadeusz Orawiec, researchers from the Museum of Ceramics.
• The international academic conference “200 Years of the Napoleonic Epic,” held on 6 September in the conference hall of the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre–International Ceramics Centre. History enthusiasts had a rare opportunity to hear a dozen or so lectures on various aspects of the Napoleonic period, delivered by scholars from Poland, Russia and Germany. All presentations were interpreted simultaneously. The conference was chaired by Prof. Grzegorz Strauchold of the Historical Institute of the University of Wrocław. The papers were subsequently published in a trilingual post-conference volume.

Another example of cooperation with other institutions was the project “Save from Oblivion – Siberians,” carried out jointly with Municipal Lower Secondary School No. 2 named after Poles Deported to Siberia and the Bolesławiec Association of Siberians. More than 120 students from Bolesławiec schools participated in its implementation. Under the supervision of their teachers, they collected and compiled biographical profiles of 63 Siberians living in the city and county. The materials were subsequently published as the book “We Had No Childhood… Memories of the Siberians of Bolesławiec,” whose promotion took place on 14 September.

Exhibitions of renowned Bolesławiec residents

Among the other exhibitions prepared by the Museum of Ceramics in 2013, the joint presentation of Krystyna Gay-Kutschenreiter’s ceramic series “Garden” and Janusz Moniatowicz’s photographic series “Photographic Impressions” deserves particular attention. Krystyna Gay-Kutschenreiter’s sculptures were dominated by intricate openwork ceramic compositions, giving viewers a sense of lightness and the unlimited structural possibilities of the material. Janusz Moniatowicz’s photographs, an artistic record of the creation of ceramic sculptures, emphasised the sculptor’s struggle with the material and the taming of clay during the creation of a work. The exhibition was open in July and August and concluded with an artists’ meeting on 24 August.

The photographs come from the Museum of Ceramics archive and were taken by Grzegorz Matoryn and Bernard Łętowski.

(information: Museum of Ceramics/ii)