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ABOUT CULTURE - 08.2009
Something for lovers of good photography
You can see an interesting photographic exhibit called: 15 Worlds” at the Stara Galeria at 8 Plac Zamkowy, until the 8th of August. Związek Polskich Artystów Fotografików (the Association of Polish Art Photographers) presents the work of its new members. Among the many names of the artists, one of them, Jerzy Piwowarczyk, is particularly notable. He is a photographer, actor and singer who has lived and worked for many years in France. His work (photography) is an artistic interpretation of reality, which is surprising for the unusual originality if the author’s view of the world around him. In the picture, one of the photographs by Jerzy Piwowarczyk.
A visit from „Primal Scream”
On the 12th of August, at Warsaw’s „Stodoła”, one of the greatest British indie-rock cult bands, „Primal Scream”, will perform. The band has been nominated many times for the Brit Awards and has had hits like „Loaded”, „Come together”, „Country girl”, and „Kowalski”, which were in the most cult movies „Transpotting”, „Football Factory”, and „Human Traffic”. The August concert of „Primal Scream” at the Warsaw club „Stodoła” will be the group’s first club concert in Poland.
The Uprising in a science fiction version
An alternative way of presenting Polish history on the big screen has been proposed by the director Tomasz Bagiński, who is working on a film about the Warsaw Uprising in a science fiction version. Tomasz Bagiński, who was nominated for an Oscar for the film „Katedra” (Cathedral), works at the studio Platige Image; he wants to create a new image of Polish history, along with the Warsaw Rising Museum. It is new, because it is alternative and unconventional, where instead of hung heads of fighters there are unusual special effects, and... German soldiers are shown as figures like those in the photo.
Coins with Czesław Niemen
Czesław Niemen (1939-2004) was one of the most outstanding and popular Polish singers and composers. Among his most popular songs is one about Warsaw, which is also one of the most beautiful songs ever composed about our city. It is entitled „Sen o Warszawie” (Dream about Warsaw). The cover of the album „Sen o Warszawie” and an image of Niemen will decorate new collector’s coins emitted by the National Bank of Poland. The series will consist of three coins – two silver ones and one made of a Nordic Gold alloy. The silver ones have a denomination of 10 zloty. They differ in shape, as one is square. The round one has „Sen o Warszawie.” On the backs of both coins there are pictures of the artist. The coins will be issued in an edition of 100,000 pieces. They will be available at all of the regional branches of the Polish National Bank and selected coin shops. The coins are being released on the 70th anniversary of the artist’s birth.
The charm of old films
A German comedy film from 1925, „When the sinful world calls”, was found in the Warsaw National Filmoteka archives. For years, the Bundesarchiv/Filmarchiv in Germany was looking for it. The film was shown in Warsaw before the Second World War, and has Polish subtitles. The main protagonist, Irena, is a rich, only child whose lazy life consists of satisfying her own whims, and she is bored with her long engagement. She bets her father that she will make one of his workers fall in love with her. The role is played by Fern Andra, an American actress who had a film career in Europe but never played in any films with sound. In accordance with the abiding principles regarding finds like this one, the material will remain in Poland. The Germans will receive a contemporary copy of it.
An attraction awaits us at the Grand Theater
Eight opera premieres, three ballet premieres, wonderful directors, singers and conductors. The directors of the Grand Theater in Warsaw – Chief Director Waldemar Dąbrowski and the artistic director Mariusz Treliński – promised before vacation that there would be attractions in the upcoming artistic season of the largest opera stage in Poland. And so, the opera „Madame Butterfly” will be conducted by Placido Domingo, „Oniegin” by Walery Giergiew, and „Halka” by Marc Minkowski. There will be directors of world renown: Willy Decker, Luc Bondy, Keith Warren, Sasha Waltz and David Alden. The Grand Theater is supposed to become a partner with the largest opera stages in the world: Metropolitan Opera, La Scalla, English National Opera and festivals in Bregenz and Baden-Baden. Most of the premieres will be co-productions with these theaters. So, then, we just have to wait impatiently for these upcoming artistic experiences.
A Japanese award for Stasys
Stasys Eidrygievicius (or simply Stasys), an eminent Polish painter, graphic artist, singer and photographer specializing in creating posters (among other things), was awarded with a bronze medal at an international competition of poster art in Japan. The submitted poster was created for Teatr Stary in Cracow, to adverise Mark Miller’s „Terenzin,” a story of the Jewish ghetto in the city of Terenzin in the Czech Republic during the Second World War. Stasys is also responsible for stage design for this play.
Laughing Warsaw
The newest private theater in Warsaw is enjoying great popularity. It is the „Kamienica Teatr” on 93 Solidarności Avenue, whose owner is the well-liked actor Emilian Kamiński. The theater has three stages and has been designed in the spirit of former Warsaw, which is also the style of the building in which the theater is located, which dates from the turn of the 20th century. Kamiński’s favorite theatrical style is old-fashioned cabaret, which is why there are several in the repertoire of „Kamienica”. One of them is the cabaret program titled „Piękne panie i panowie” (Lovely ladies and gentlemen), dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of Warsaw cabaret, which played a great role in the history of our city. It is worth coming to „Kamienica”, in order to absorb the ambiance of old, happy, reflective and romantic Warsaw.
Sculptures among housing estate blocks
Paweł Althamer is an unusual artist. His uniqueness comes from the fact that he does not close himself in his studio, and he does not isolate himself from people to devote himself to his artistic undertakings. On the contrary, people and cooperating with them is his creative element. Recently, Althamer painted a LOT airplane gold and invited a few dozen residents of his housing complex in Bródno to board, gave them gold jumpsuits with hoods and took off to conquer Brussels, on the 5th anniversary of Poland’s membership in the European Union. Paweł Althamer invited artists from abroad to beautify the public place in the periphery of the Bródno district. And that is how Park Rzeźby (the Sculpture Park) came to be, as a decoration in what was a gray district that had been designed in communist times.
You can see an interesting photographic exhibit called: 15 Worlds” at the Stara Galeria at 8 Plac Zamkowy, until the 8th of August. Związek Polskich Artystów Fotografików (the Association of Polish Art Photographers) presents the work of its new members. Among the many names of the artists, one of them, Jerzy Piwowarczyk, is particularly notable. He is a photographer, actor and singer who has lived and worked for many years in France. His work (photography) is an artistic interpretation of reality, which is surprising for the unusual originality if the author’s view of the world around him. In the picture, one of the photographs by Jerzy Piwowarczyk.
A visit from „Primal Scream”
On the 12th of August, at Warsaw’s „Stodoła”, one of the greatest British indie-rock cult bands, „Primal Scream”, will perform. The band has been nominated many times for the Brit Awards and has had hits like „Loaded”, „Come together”, „Country girl”, and „Kowalski”, which were in the most cult movies „Transpotting”, „Football Factory”, and „Human Traffic”. The August concert of „Primal Scream” at the Warsaw club „Stodoła” will be the group’s first club concert in Poland.
The Uprising in a science fiction version
An alternative way of presenting Polish history on the big screen has been proposed by the director Tomasz Bagiński, who is working on a film about the Warsaw Uprising in a science fiction version. Tomasz Bagiński, who was nominated for an Oscar for the film „Katedra” (Cathedral), works at the studio Platige Image; he wants to create a new image of Polish history, along with the Warsaw Rising Museum. It is new, because it is alternative and unconventional, where instead of hung heads of fighters there are unusual special effects, and... German soldiers are shown as figures like those in the photo.
Coins with Czesław Niemen
Czesław Niemen (1939-2004) was one of the most outstanding and popular Polish singers and composers. Among his most popular songs is one about Warsaw, which is also one of the most beautiful songs ever composed about our city. It is entitled „Sen o Warszawie” (Dream about Warsaw). The cover of the album „Sen o Warszawie” and an image of Niemen will decorate new collector’s coins emitted by the National Bank of Poland. The series will consist of three coins – two silver ones and one made of a Nordic Gold alloy. The silver ones have a denomination of 10 zloty. They differ in shape, as one is square. The round one has „Sen o Warszawie.” On the backs of both coins there are pictures of the artist. The coins will be issued in an edition of 100,000 pieces. They will be available at all of the regional branches of the Polish National Bank and selected coin shops. The coins are being released on the 70th anniversary of the artist’s birth.
The charm of old films
A German comedy film from 1925, „When the sinful world calls”, was found in the Warsaw National Filmoteka archives. For years, the Bundesarchiv/Filmarchiv in Germany was looking for it. The film was shown in Warsaw before the Second World War, and has Polish subtitles. The main protagonist, Irena, is a rich, only child whose lazy life consists of satisfying her own whims, and she is bored with her long engagement. She bets her father that she will make one of his workers fall in love with her. The role is played by Fern Andra, an American actress who had a film career in Europe but never played in any films with sound. In accordance with the abiding principles regarding finds like this one, the material will remain in Poland. The Germans will receive a contemporary copy of it.
An attraction awaits us at the Grand Theater
Eight opera premieres, three ballet premieres, wonderful directors, singers and conductors. The directors of the Grand Theater in Warsaw – Chief Director Waldemar Dąbrowski and the artistic director Mariusz Treliński – promised before vacation that there would be attractions in the upcoming artistic season of the largest opera stage in Poland. And so, the opera „Madame Butterfly” will be conducted by Placido Domingo, „Oniegin” by Walery Giergiew, and „Halka” by Marc Minkowski. There will be directors of world renown: Willy Decker, Luc Bondy, Keith Warren, Sasha Waltz and David Alden. The Grand Theater is supposed to become a partner with the largest opera stages in the world: Metropolitan Opera, La Scalla, English National Opera and festivals in Bregenz and Baden-Baden. Most of the premieres will be co-productions with these theaters. So, then, we just have to wait impatiently for these upcoming artistic experiences.
A Japanese award for Stasys
Stasys Eidrygievicius (or simply Stasys), an eminent Polish painter, graphic artist, singer and photographer specializing in creating posters (among other things), was awarded with a bronze medal at an international competition of poster art in Japan. The submitted poster was created for Teatr Stary in Cracow, to adverise Mark Miller’s „Terenzin,” a story of the Jewish ghetto in the city of Terenzin in the Czech Republic during the Second World War. Stasys is also responsible for stage design for this play.
Laughing Warsaw
The newest private theater in Warsaw is enjoying great popularity. It is the „Kamienica Teatr” on 93 Solidarności Avenue, whose owner is the well-liked actor Emilian Kamiński. The theater has three stages and has been designed in the spirit of former Warsaw, which is also the style of the building in which the theater is located, which dates from the turn of the 20th century. Kamiński’s favorite theatrical style is old-fashioned cabaret, which is why there are several in the repertoire of „Kamienica”. One of them is the cabaret program titled „Piękne panie i panowie” (Lovely ladies and gentlemen), dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of Warsaw cabaret, which played a great role in the history of our city. It is worth coming to „Kamienica”, in order to absorb the ambiance of old, happy, reflective and romantic Warsaw.
Sculptures among housing estate blocks
Paweł Althamer is an unusual artist. His uniqueness comes from the fact that he does not close himself in his studio, and he does not isolate himself from people to devote himself to his artistic undertakings. On the contrary, people and cooperating with them is his creative element. Recently, Althamer painted a LOT airplane gold and invited a few dozen residents of his housing complex in Bródno to board, gave them gold jumpsuits with hoods and took off to conquer Brussels, on the 5th anniversary of Poland’s membership in the European Union. Paweł Althamer invited artists from abroad to beautify the public place in the periphery of the Bródno district. And that is how Park Rzeźby (the Sculpture Park) came to be, as a decoration in what was a gray district that had been designed in communist times.
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Information published at 3 August 2009