Lecture of the Bydgoszcz Academy of Art

Ceramics is born from the Earth’s matter; fire plays an important role in the process of its formation. It created a variety of incarnations and forms. Its presence in human life dates back almost to the dawn of human civilisation. In its history it has undergone a huge evolution and multiple transformations. The shapeless lump of clay excavated from the ground in direct contact with the artist’s hands turns into a meaningful figure, sculpture, vessel. The human gesture gave it a sense, gave it a specific shape. The artistic value of ceramics is determined by many factors, such as forming, firing, glazing and decoration. In the process of creating contemporary ceramics, we are seduced by its decorative character and functionalism, variety of styles, freedom of shapes, expression of forms, unconventionality of raw materials, unlimited colour possibilities of glazes, gloss and matt textures of ceramic objects, often of an industrial character, ecological inspiration.

The lecture “Contemporary Polish ceramics – its history and collections” will present the image and artistic phenomena of this fascinating field of art in the last seventy years; it will show the geography of the most important centres of its production and collection.
Jerzy Brukwicki (1945) – art critic, curator of exhibitions, journalist. Long-standing head of the “Pokaz” Critics’ Gallery in Warsaw. In the 1980s, the author of dozens of independent exhibitions, such as Polish Pieta, A Time of Sadness, A Time of Hope, Presence, Against Evil, Against Violence. Organised individual exhibitions for Tadeusz Brzozowski, Wojciech Kołyszko, Paweł Kowalewski, Jerzy Medyński, Antoni Rodowicz, Ryszard Stryjecki, Andrzej Wajda and others, graphics art of “Solidarity”. Editor and publisher of the independent culture magazine “Wybór”, the editor of the underground magazine “Przegląd Wiadomości Agencyjnych” (PWA), collaborated with publishing houses NOWA, Przedświt, Pokolenie.
07.11.2018, 6pm
20 Gdańska St.