1979 » Poland » Stage and costume design

POLSKO

The stage design from the whole world shown at Prague Quadrennial provide an excellent opportunity to survey and compare various ideas and forms by which the visual arts contribute to the theatre. Allow us a moment to concentrate upon the fleeting phenomenon of a theatrical performance. We shall of course be unsuccessful in capturing the full impact of the theatre, where the written word, music, songs all combine to produce a moving and penetrating whole which can provoke both smiles and tears. It may well be that by exposing the craftsmanship which is necessary for a production we shall be unmasking theatrical magic, thus causing it to disappear. On the other hand this will enable us to examine costumes and sets from the footlights or from the wings. Our exposition aims at showing the specific qualities and variety of Polish stage designs, their individual aspects, their preference for metaphors and the pugnacity of their grotesque or ironic elements. It has been our aim to make this survey as colourful and multivarious as possible, and to present modern formal approaches. We consider the initiative of the PQ organizers to contribute to the celebration of International Children's Year by exhibiting the work and achievements of puppet theatres, to be en excellent idea. The essence of the puppet theatre lies in its artificially constructed actors, its puppets and marionettes, whose expressions and acting are conveyed by their movement and by the spoken word. The very shape end color of the puppet already expresses an artistic message. For this reason puppets should, in our opinion, be judged on the basis of the same criteria applied to other works of art. The aim of our puppetry exposition, which ranges from those produced by naive artists to those made by professional puppet designers, is to show the tradition of folk art which has a very specific place in our theatre. Many of our stage designers draw their inspiration from our folk and national culture} they are fascinated by its sincerity and simplicity. We suggest that the Cracow Nativity, this austere, naive mystery play, full of humorous interludes, could very well serve as the symbol of our whole exposition. But on the other hand this symbol might also be provided by the magnificent end monumental theatre with its lyrical and mystical strains, which strives to convey immortal socio-political messages.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• Zbigniew Bednarowicz

Additional information: Born in 1927. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan, where he graduated in 1951. He is now a painter and stage designer. Since 1951 he has been working for the Teatr Polski. in Poznan. He has received four prizes at annual theatre festivals held in Kalisz for his designs of productions of The Man in the Prompt-Box by T. Rittner, C.K. Norwid´ s The Ring of Noble Lady; J. Kasprowicz´ s Marcholt and E. Bryll´ s Regarding November. Among his other important stage designs the following should be mentioned: B. Brecht' s The Good Woman of Setzuan, 0. V. Horvath' s The Stranger from the Seine, Shakespeare' s Macbeth and J. Abramov' s Palace Derby. He has also designed several audio- visual / son et lumière/ performances, among others at the Town Hall and Citadel in Poznan.

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• Adam Killian

* 1923, Lwów
Specialization: set designer
Additional information: He finished his studies of architecture at the College of Arts and Crafts in Nottingham (Great Britain). At present he works as scenographer of the theatre Lalka in Warsaw. He has been awarded the National prize and the Prize for the stage design for the play The Nuptials by S. Wyspiaňski. His staging of the play Guignol in Troubles was awarded the Golden Medal at the International Festival of Puppet Theatres in Bucharest in 1960. His illustrations of children's books were awarded a Golden Medal at the Xllth Triennial in Milano. His most important works include the stage designs for the theatre of Szczecin and Warsaw and the staging The Cracowians and the Mountaineers. Until now he has designed 22 puppet films and illustrated 5o books. He worked as an Apprentice at the Film Studio MOSFILM Alma-Ata. Over the course of 50 years, he has created almost 300 scenic designs for puppet, drama and lyric theatres. He exhibited at PQ in 1971-79, 1987, 1995. In 1975 he received the Gold medal.


















• Kazimierz Wisniak

Additional information: Born in 1931; he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts. He is one of the co-founders of the cabaret Piwnica in Cracow. He collaborates with various theatres in Warssw, with the J. Slowacki Theatre in Cracow, the H. Tomaszewski Pantomime at Wroclaw as well as with numerous theatres abroad, in Moscow, Kiev, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Düsseldorf. His most significant works are the settings for Anouilh's Becket, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ostrovsky's Forest and Tchaikovsky's ballet Romeo and Juliet.












• Jan Berdyszak

Additional information: Born in 1934. Stage designer, painter, sculptor, graphic artist and puppet designer. He frequently works for the Marcinek Theatre in Poznań. He participated in the PQ in 1971 and in 1979.

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• Krzysztof Pankiewicz

Additional information: Born in 1933. Studied architecture at the Polytechnic School in Warsaw, painting and stage and costume design at the College of Fine Arts in Warsaw and Cracow (diplomaed in 1958). He collaborates with numerous Polish theatres (above all in Warsaw and in Cracow) and with theatres abroad (Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Oslo, Belgrade). In 1963 he was awarded the Prize of the Paris Biennial for his stage set to The Imaginary Invalid by Moliēre. He has exhibited his works in Venice, Berlin, Moscow, Amiens, Nice, Prague. He is the author of several décors for the television.
• Leokadia Serafinowicz

Additional information: Born in 1915. She studied at the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius .In the years 1937 to 1939 and at the M. Kopernik University in Torun between 1945 and 1948, where she graduated from the Department of Fine Arts in 1951. Since 1948 she has worked in various theatres for children and youth as an actress, stage director and stage designer. She now also teaches at the College of Theatrical Arts in Wroclaw. Her most interesting stage designs include productions of J. Ratajczek' s Nightingale, V. Mayakovski´s The Bath, J. Potocki' s Les parades, C. K. Nor - wiď s Wanda, J. Kurczewski' s and M. Kownacka' s Lajkonik, M. Bialoszewski' s Mrs Koch and K. Milobedzka' s A Tale Of . .. She received the 2nd Prize at the Polish National Festival of Puppet Theatres in Warsaw in 1965, the 1st Prize at the Polish National Festival of Puppet Theatres in Opole in 1971, a Gold Medal at the 2nd Prague Quadrennial of Theatre Design in 1971, a 1st Prize at the 1st Biennial of Art for Children in Poznan in 1971, and the 1st Prize at the 3rd Biennial of Art for Children in Poznan in 1975. She has also been awarded the Order of the Smile.
• Zofia Pietrusińska

Additional information: Born in 1928. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Between 1960 and 1968 she collaborated with the National Theatre in Warsaw and the H. Modrzejewska /Stary/ Old Theatre in Cracow. Her more important work includes stage designs for N.Gogol 's Government Inspector, directed by K. Dejmek at the Municipal Theatre in Essen in 1966} S. I. Witkiewicz' s The Water-hen, The Cuttle-fish, Jan Maciej Karol Wscieklica, all directed by W. Laskowska at the National Theatre in Warsaw; T. Rozewicz' s Left Home directed by W. Laskowska at the National Theatre in Warsaw in 1969; S. Przybyszewski' s Snow, directed by I. Gogolewski at the Drama Theatre in Warsaw; T. Rozewicz 's Mating, directed by W. Laskowska at the H. Modrzejewska Old Theatre in Cracow in 1972.

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• Andrzej Sadowski

Additional information: Born 1925 in Lwów. He works as a stage designer with number of drama theatres, the Poznaň opera and the Chamber Opera in Warsaw. He lecturers at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He exhibited in the Prague Quadrennial 1967,1971 and 1975.




















• Kazimierz MIKULSKI

Additional information: Born in 1918. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and is active as a painter and stage designer. He has among others participated in the Exhibition of Polish Puppetry in Bruxelles at the Maison des Arts in 1963 and the exhibition "The Polish Theatre '' at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1971. In 1959 he received a 1st Prize for the sets for S. Mrozek' s play The Martyrdom of Piotr Ohey at the 2nd Polish National Festival of Puppet Theatres in 1959, a State Prize /3rd class/ for stage designs in 1962, 1st Prize for stage designs at the International Theatrical Festival in Zagreb in 1969 for the sets for Coming from Cracow and the 2nd Prize for stage designs for the play Janko the Musician in 1971.
• Wanda FIK-PAŁKA

Additional information: Born in 1936. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracovv under prof. Karol Frycz and prof. Andrej Stopka. She graduated from the department of stage design in 1962. She has designed a total of over 60 stage sets for drama and puppet theatres, mainly in Zielona Góra, Rzeszów and Kielce. At present she is collaborating with the theatre in Legnica. Anong her most in - teresting designs are the sets for productions of A. Fredro' s "A Maiden's Vows " at the L.Kruczkowski Theatre in Zielena Góra in 1974; for Lucy Maud Montgomery' s Ahn from the Green Gables at the Pomeranian Theatre in Grudziadz in 1978; Jerzy Jesionowski' s Expedition for Green Metal at the Pomeranian Theatre in Grudziadz in 1978; F. Schiller' s Intrigue and Love at the Drama Theatre in Legnica in 1979.For the puppet the - atre she has designed the sets for J. "Wolski' s The Secret Drawer at the Kubuś Puppet and Actor Theatre in Kielce in 1974; for Sergey Mikhalkov' s Three Oranges at the L. Kruczkowski Theatre in Zielona Góra in 1974; J. Brzechwa' s Mr Przechwa's Tales at the A. Smolka Puppet and Actor Theatre in Opola in 1976; Harlequin' s Thaatre Intermedia - according to an anonymous l8th century Russian writer at the Rotunda Puppet The - atre in Białystok in 1978. She has received a Silver Medal for her stage designs at the 5th International Triennial of Stage Design in Novi Sad in 1978.

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• Zygmunt SMANDZIK

Additional information: Born in 1929 in Chropaczów; a stage designer and stage director. Since 1951 he has been working at the theatre in Opole, where he has collaboroted with Kantor, Szajna, Skuszanka and later for some time with the theatre of Grotowski, where he designed the stage sets for The Sartre Cabaret. Besides designing for puppet theatres he also works with drama theatres. Among h i s most in - teresting designs are those for productions of Kownacka' s Ballad of the Little Shoemaker, Karpowicz' s Green Glove, Dü - rrenmatť s Romulus the Great, Morstin' s Cleopatra, Mrozek' s Tango, Drda' s Trifles with the Devil, Szaniawski' s Two The - atres and Zhukovska' s The Adventures of Pif. In the period 1965 - 1972 he was the superintendent of the Ateneum Silezian Theatre of Puppets and Actors in Katowice. Since 1972 he is the superintendent of the A. Smolka Puppet and Actor Theatre in Opole. His concept of an " author' s performance ' ' dates back to 1960, when he created The Ballad of the Little Shoemaker followed by The Devils Took God Away in 1967, The Bird in 1975, The Drawer in 1977 and Orpheus in 1979. He received several prizes at Polish festivals of puppet theatres, as well as the Prize of the Minister of Culture and Art, a Festival Grand Prix for his design and direction of the production The Bird and the 1st Prize for stage direction and stage design of the performance of The Drawer. He has participated in several exhibitions of stage design in Poland and abroad. He collaborates with theatres in Finland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia. He is also a laureate of the Prize of the Polish Prime Minister in 1976 for his life work.

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• Zofia STANISŁAWSKA-HOWURKOWA

Additional information: She studied at the Institute of Arts and Crafts in Lvov and was active as a graphic artist and stage designer. She also illustra- ted books for the St. Wojciech Publishing House, for the Art Publishing House and for the Ksiaźnica-Atlas. She designed numerous puppets for animated cartoon films and stage sets for the the - atre. From 1946 she worked as a stage designer at the Blue AI - monds / Niebieskie Migdaly / Theatre in Cracow and later at the Puppet / Lalka / Theatre in Warsaw. She received a number of prizes for her stage and puppet designs. Her numerous woodcuts can be found in Polish museums and at the Albertinum Museum in Vienna,

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• Barbara STOPKA

Additional information: She studied stage design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow. After graduation in 1965 she worked as a stage designer in theatres in Cracow, Warsaw, Wroclaw and elsewhere. Since 1967 she works permanently for the Slowacki Theatre in Cracow. She has designed sets for Fredroy ' s The Coach / directed by Galinski /, Róźewicz' s Left Home / directed by Jarocki / , Zapolska' s The Morality of Mrs Dulska /directed by Zamkow / , Iwaszkiewicz´ s Cosmogony /directed by Wiercinska/, Slowacki' s The Golden Skull /directed by Galiński and named the Performance of the Year in 1969/, Norwiď s Stage Decorations /directed by Praun/, Wyspianski' s The Wedding / directed by Parodowski / . She par- ticipated in stage design exhibitions in Cracow in 1970 and in an exhibition devoted to Norwid in Warsaw in 1973. At the People's Theatre in Nowa Huta she designed the stage sets for Slowacki' s Kordian / directed by Babel / , for Fredrov's Man and Woman / directed by Babel / and for Dürrenmatť s King John / directed by Babel / , as well as stage designs for pro - ductions of the Drama Studio of the National Theatre School in Cracow. She has also designed, among others, the sets for Verd- di ' s Don Carlos at the Cracow Cpera and the sets for Peter Weiss' The Song of the Lusitanian Bogey. In 1973 she received a scholarship from the International Theatre Institute in Paris. She also designs theatrical posters and collaborates with r e - gional television studios at Katowice and in Cracow.

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• Jerzy ZITZMAN

Additional information: Born in 1918. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, and is now active as a painter, stage director and stage designer. He has also designed and directed films for the State Animated Cartoon Films Studio. In 1947 he founded the Banialuka Puppet Theatre in Białsko-Biała where he was superintendent. He has directed a total of twenty cartoon films and de - signed the sets for another twelve. He collaborates regularly with puppet theatres in Warsaw, Katowice, Szczecin, Rzeszow, Wroclaw, Toruń and Lodz. The prizes and awards he has received include the 2nd Prize at the Polish National Festival of Puppet Theatres in Opole, the 1st Prize at the 8th International Film Festival in Vancouver for the film New Years' Eve, the Bronze Lajkonik at the Festival of Film Cartoons in Cracow and the Prize of the Prime Minister for his artistic work for children and youth as a stage designer.

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• Adam KOLODZIEJ












• Januzs POKRYWSKA








• Waclaw KONDEK