Art Galleries in Poland
Since the beginning of time, art was an integral part of the human life. For centuries, people had plenty of creative ways to express their emotions and feelings, as well as let their imagination run wild. Throughout history, there were countless artists, who lived in various periods of time and has all kinds of techniques to create artistic masterpieces, many of which have amazed people all around the world, even centuries after their creators have passed away. There are many art galleries in all countries around the world, including Poland, where you can admire gorgeous works of Poland. This article will introduce you to some of the finest art galleries in Poland.
The „Zacheta” National Art Gallery
The purpose of the „Zacheta” National Art Gallery in Warsaw is to present and promote modern art by organizing individual and collective exhibits of Polish and foreign artists. The history of „Zacheta” dates back to the year 1860, when the Association of Promotion of Fine Art was established in the Polish kingdom. Its original purpose was to organize exhibits and acquire works of art to the national collection. After World War II, the Association of Promotion of Fine Art was not reactivated. Its collection was moved to the National Museum, where they are currently a significant part of the Polish Painting Gallery.
The Polish Sculpture Centre in Oronsko
The history of the Polish Scultpure Centre in Oronsko began in 1965 with the creative workshop and an outdoor exhibition with works of artists from the local creativity centre. Since 1981, the Polish Sculpture Centre operates as a national institution. This sculpture centre has a surface with interesting architectural and landscape values. It consists of the Modern Sculpture Museum and several galleries located at the area of the landscape park. The exhibition rooms organize several presentation each year, the most important of which are dedicated to the most recent history of sculpture.
The Modern Museum in Wroclaw
The purpose of the Modern Museum in Wroclaw is to popularize and gather collections of modern art from Wroclaw and its surroundings from the second half of the 20th century.
In 2004, the Lower Silesia Association of Promoting Fine Art was established with the purpose of creating a collection and a centre of modern art. The Wroclaw Modern Art Museum was appointed on February 10th 2011. Its grand opening was inaugurated by an exhibit with works of Zbigniew Gostomski and a picninc for people of Wroclaw. As of 2019, the collection of the Modern Museum in Wroclaw has 318 objects of artists from Wroclaw, Poland and foreign countries.
The Czartoryski Princes Museum
The Czartoryski Princes Museum in Krakow is one of the oldest museums in Poland – a division of the National Museum in Krakow. Its origins date back to 1801, when a private museum was established by duchess Izabela Czartoryska in the village of Pulawy. The collection was partially scattered and destroyed after the fall of the November Uprising. The Czartoryski Princes Museum itself was officially opened in 1880 and originally occupied only some of the rooms of the later museum complex.
The MOCAK Modern Art Museum
The MOCAK Modern Art Museum in Krakow is a cultural institution established on February 1st 2010 and opened on May 19th 2011. The idea of creating the museum was widely discussed for many years. In May of 2005, Jacek Majchrowski – the president of Krakow applied for financing the project of creating a museum. He received 4 million PLN for fulfilling the project. The educational projects of the museum are created in association with artists, critics, curators and exhibit coordinators. The MOCAK Modern Art Museum also has a library for those, who want to expand their knowledge about the art available at the museum.
The „Zamek Ujazdowski” Modern Art Centre
The „Zamek Ujazdowski” Modern Art Centre is a cultural institution in Warsaw appointed in 1985. Its purpose is to create, showcase and document modern art from Poland and other countries. In the years 1992, 1994 and 1996/1997, three editions of the International Collection of Modern Art werev showcased. On December 20th 2002, the full version of this collection was opened, which will be expanded with new pieces of art over time. The major part of the collection includes works from nearly 600 exhibit, which werev organized in the „Zamek Ujazdowski” Modern Art Centre since 1990.
The Art Museum in Lodz
The main purpose of the Art Museum in Lodz is to examine and present diverse pieces of art from the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as promoting progressive artistic events. The Art Museum in Lodz was created after the rerganization of museology in Lodz in 1930. The foundation of the museum is a collection of modern art, gathered between 1929 and 1932. It was supplemented until 1938 in Poland and abroad.
Originally, the museum was located at the first floor of the former townb hall at 1 Wolnosci Square. The first exhibit was opened on April 13th 1930. This date is considered the beginning of the current Art Museum in Lodz.
The „Art Stations” Gallery
The „Art Stations” Gallery is a modern art gallery in Poznan established in 2004. The gallery invited curators from Polish and foreign institutions to create exhibition projects. Most of the exhibits presented in the gallery were inspired by a private collection owned by Grazyna Kulczyk, and their most significant part was based on innovative solutions of modern art from Poland, as well as other countries. The gallery also organizes workshops for various age groups. The exhibitd are often accompanied by additional events, such as movie screenings and lectures.
The „Znaki Czasu” Modern Art Centre
The „Znaki Czasu” Modern Art Centre is a cultural institution in Torun created with the purpose of gathering and documenting modern art from Poland and other countries. The „Znaki Czasu” Modern Art Centre was appointed in 2006. The construction of the building for its headquarters began on October 27th 2006. It was officially opened for visitors on June 14th 2008, and its first manager was Michal Korolko. The first exhibits in the „Znaki Czasu” Modern Art Centre were „Jak sie rzeczy maja” with works from the collection of an art foundation in Vienna and „Kwiaty naszego zycia”, which gathered works associated with various aspects of collecting.
The „Rondo Sztuki” gallery
The „Rondo Sztuki” gallery is located at the upper floor of a modern dome-shaped building created in 2007 in Katowice. „Rondo Sztuki” has two galleries, which organize exhibits of graphics, photography, painting and book illustrations. The gallery promoted local and world-famous artists. Some of the people whose works were showcased here include Dusan Kallay, Maciej Bieniasz, Lex Drewinski and Erwin Sowka. In 2011, „Rondo Sztuki” became the only Silesian institution to be invited to co-organize the cultural program of the Polish presidency in the European parliament.