2022 report

Sunday, January 29, 2023

2022 for the Society of Friends of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw

Artist editions:
● we have reissued an unlimited edition of Wilhelm Sasnal's scarf, 'Peace' - the author's design on silk from Milanowek 80x80 cm - currently available numbers: 300-400.
● we issued a new edition by Patryk Różycki, 2022, "Spitting family under the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw" (silk-screen print, 40×50 cm); print made in collaboration with Kwiaciarnia Grafiki.

We held the General Meeting of the Society's members online. Ekaterina Szczeka left the Board and Anna Grajewska was joined to the Board: Aleksandra Auleytner, Michał Borowik, Helena Czernecka, Anna Tryc-Bromley, Krzysztof Nowakowski and Kinga Szafrankowska.

Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine from March 2022, we worked closely with the Museum to provide a formal basis for aid activities for refugees affected by the war by opening dedicated accounts, collecting and disbursing funds within the framework of the 'Solidarity Sunflower House' created by the Museum's Blyzkist collective.

We continued to support the programmes of the Modern Seniors Club and the Polish Radio Experimental Studio (SEPR) Fans Circle by providing a formal basis for activities and funding for selected meetings and trips of the Club and Circle. Among others: a trip to Orońsko to see Anish Kapoor's exhibition, film registration of the SEPR Supporters' Circle reunion, a trip to Szumin. A special screening of the documentary film 'Hilma af Klint. Pioneer of abstraction" for the Club in collaboration with the Her Docs festival.

In April and May 2022, together with the Ocalenie Foundation and the Museum, we co-organised the sixth Refugees Welcome charity art auction inviting many independent curators, critics and curators to speak about the works being auctioned. During the promotional campaign, we talked about the works for sale and invited Friends of the Museum to participate in a guided tour of the exhibition and in the auction. Magdalena Lipska curated the pre-auction exhibition, which featured more than 80 works. More than PLN 1 million 130,000 was raised this year. for the Ocalenie Foundation's programmes.

We organised and invited members to events in collaboration:

with the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw:
● A meeting with the Museum's director Joanna Mytkowska - in conversation with Marta Perchuć-Burzyńska, where member persons could learn more about the Museum's plans in relation to its move to a new building in 2024;
● A curatorial tour of the exhibition 'Cruel Tales. Aleksandra Waliszewska and the Symbolism of East and North";
● Participation in the Hotel Warsaw Art Fair - sale edition and screening of a found footage film about Warsaw. The Society financed the production of the film (24 minutes) made by the project initiator and director Maciej Drygas on the basis of material collected in the Polish Home Movie Archive, a project of the Museum's Filmotheque. The film can be used for promotional activities of the Museum.
● A curatorial tour by Tomasz Fudala of the exhibition 'Walka o ulice', 14th edition of the Warsaw Under Construction festival;
● Two tours of the construction of the new building of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw;

with the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts:
● 'Between Collectivism and Individualism' curatorial tour by Maria Brewińska at Zachęta - National Gallery of Art;
● A weekend trip to Silesia and Mount St. Anne with artist Anna Orlowska (together with Gunia Nowik Gallery);
● Warsaw Gallery Weekend tours - a bicycle tour led by Paulina Olszewska, curator of Studio Gallery, and a bus tour with guided tours in the galleries;
● A curatorial tour by Ewa Opałka of the exhibition "Mariola Przyjemska. Consumption, Construction and Melancholy';
● A tour and curatorial guided tour by Dorota Monkiewicz of Anish Kapoor's exhibition and Paweł Witkowski of Wojciech Fangor's exhibition at the MCSW in Radom;

with Galeria Studio (STUDIO in the Palce of Culture and Science):
● A guided tour of the exhibition MATERIA(L)NIE Alicja Bielawska | Barbara Falender;
● Curatorial tour of the exhibition Decolonisations;
● Ernestyna Orlowska's performance "Murmur" and a meeting with the performers.

We took part in and invited member individuals to other events:
● a curatorial tour of the exhibition "New Inuit Art: Contemporary Inuit Art from Kinngait" at the State Ethnographic Museum;
● guided tours of the exhibitions by the Wahl Sisters at Lokal 30, Dominika Olszowa at Galeria Foksal, Paulina Włostowska's exhibition 'The Colour and Light Factory' at the Filip de Girard Museum of Linen-making in Żyrardów;
● the Warsaw Winter Art Fair at the HOP on Chmielna Street in Warsaw;
● the performance "Responsibility" by the Centrala group at the Powszechny Theatre.

We organised:
● a visit to the Frieze London art fair and a meeting with artist Joanna Piotrowska at the Phillida Reid gallery in London
● a visit to the Paris + par Art Basel art fair and a meeting at the studio of Apolonia Sokół in Paris.

We sold out the following artist editions:
● Agnieszka Polska, untitled, 2021 (print, 27.9×21 cm);
● Rafał Milach, four prints from the series "Collection under construction", 2021 (prints, 24×30 cm).

The Board of the Society passed a resolution to purchase the work I REFUSE TO LIVE IN THE WORLD THAT REPRODUCES MASS GRAVES by Kateryna Lysovenko in acrylic paint on paper, year of creation 2022 dimensions 100 x 170 cm PLN 30,000. At the end of 2022 we were in the process of purchasing the work.

All the above activities of the Society and the people working on its behalf are possible only thanks to the contributions, donations and contributions from 1 % Friends, Patrons, Patrons, for which we offer our heartfelt thanks.