Jan Wiktor Sienkiewicz (2008) Photo: Anna Supruniuk /pl.wikipedia.org
Polish art is global
Interviewed by Michał Kłosowski
Polish artistic culture consists not only of what was created in Poland, but also of what Polish artists created abroad, in Europe and beyond. Only when we consider the artistic achievements of Poles both in Poland and in exile can we gain a comprehensive understanding of Polish art, says Prof. Jan Wiktor Sienkiewicz.
Michał Kłosowski: Professor, today we are discussing Polish art in the world. What exactly is the concept of ‘Polish art’?
Jan Wiktor Sienkiewicz: It is not only the artistic output created within the borders of Poland after 1945. Polish artistic culture also includes works created after the Second World War in European and non-European countries by artists of Polish origin. Only by combining the domestic and émigré output can we see the full picture of Polish art.
So, Polish art is pretty much global?
Exactly. People often talk about ‘emigrant art’, but this term can be limiting. It suggests closed communities, a kind of creative ghetto. Meanwhile, Polish artists have been functioning in international circles for centuries: from the 19th-century Great Emigration and the Hotel Lambert, through artistic colonies in Italy, to circles in the United Kingdom and France. Even during the period of partition, it is difficult to clearly define who was an artist born on Polish soil and working in the partitioning countries. This is a huge achievement, which is now being better researched and appreciated.
You mentioned various destinations. What was the presence of Poles in art in Europe and beyond?
Europe was the main destination for Polish artists: France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain. It was there that artists found inspiration and the opportunity to work in an international environment. Trips to the Americas were more for financial gain, so the artistic communities there were smaller. But even there, we can find Polish traces – from the 19th century to the post-war period.
Don’t you feel that Poland does not always remember its émigré artists?
That is a valid point. For many years in Poland, the image of art was limited to what was created in the country. Meanwhile, after the Second World War, Polish artists scattered around the world. Many did not return from emigration, especially those associated with Anders’ Army. Argentina is a case in point – after 1945, a group of several dozen artists settled there, including Janusz Eichler and Karol Badura. In Buenos Aires, they created a strong artistic community, and their work also influenced younger generations of Argentine artists. Their works reveal a ‘Polish gene’.
When did systematic research in this area begin?
The breakthrough came after 1989, when the first facility of Polish Art and Culture in Exile was established – first at the Catholic University of Lublin, then at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, and currently at the Nicolaus Copernicus University. The slogan 'Global Poland’ is not an exaggeration in the context of art.
How can the Polish diaspora contribute to the discovery and documentation of this work today?
There are specific mechanisms in place. In 2017, the National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad – Polonika was established. The institute creates a database of Polish works of art outside the country. Anyone who comes across Polish artefacts – paintings, sculptures, cemeteries, monuments – can report them, receive funding for documentation, and enter them into the Polonika database. It will soon be the largest database of its kind in the world. It reminds us that Polish art is, in fact, global.
SOURCE: DlaPolonii.pl
