Artists participating in the exhibition, invited by curator Piotr Szmitke, present radically different styles but what links them is a strong need to assert their independence against the environment, trends, systems and market requirements. Many of these artists belong to the generation of political transformation- a critical generation, ready to take up dangerous and topics.
The exhibition features works of such artists as: Jerzy Kalina, Ewa Zawadzka, Ryszard Grzyb, Jerzy Kosałka, Łukasz Skąpski, Pawel Jarodzki, Marta Deskur, Marek Kamieński and other well-known and highly regarded artists. Among the presented artists there are a few youngsters, to whom the 'iron curtain' and Berlin war are associated with a tourist attraction, as opposed to the harsh truth of political oppression and persecution.
The exhibition explores both what unites and what divides creative attitudes of Polish generations. It asks the viewers whether art changes its structure under the influence of reality, it perhaps is it the other way around? "Recycling the Iron Curtain" proves that Polish art, being a linguistic conglomerate of artistic expression, is able to generate its own independent trends.
Over three weeks, additional events, such as contemporary dance, film and contemporary music performances supplement the exhibition at the Kühlhaus Gallery, located in a pre-war cold storage building in Kreutzberg, the cultural district of Berlin.
Participating artists: Alicja Jodko, Andrzej Rerak, Anna Krenz, Bożena Grzyb-Jarodzka, Daria Rozmarynowicz, Ewa Zawadzka, Grupa Metawera, Grzegorz Hańderek, Henryk Waniek, Ireneusz Walczak, Jacek Rykała, Jadwiga Kocur, Jerzy Kalina, Jerzy Kosałka, Kazimierz Cieślik, Krzysztof Kula, Lech Majewski, Lech Twardowski, Łukasz Skąpski, Maciej Linttner, Małgorzata Wielek-Mandrela, Marcin Mierzicki, Marek Kamieński, Mariusz Jodko, Mariusz Pałka, Marta Deskur, Mateusz Okoński, Mikołaj Golema, Paweł Jarodzki, Piotr Skiba, Robert Konieczny, Roman Maciuszkiewicz, Ryszard Grzyb, Sylwester Ambroziak, Witosław Czerwonka, Wojciech Puś, Zbigniew Blukacz and also young, Polish composers: Aleksander Nowak, Jarosław Chełmecki and Stanisław Bromboszcz.
On the final evening of the exhibtion at Kühlhaus (Friday, the 9th of December 2011 at 19:00) the Silesian Quartet and Aleksandra Gabryś perform.
The exhibition is organised by the Paris Foundation with financial support from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation, the Government of the Silesian Voivodeship and the City of Katowice.
Opening: 24th of November 24, 2011, 18:00. The exhibition runs through the 10th of December 2011.
Kühlhaus
Luckenwalder Str. 3
10963 Berlin
Source: press release