1975 » Poland » Stage and costume design

POLSKO

Scenarist of the exhibition: Andrzej Strachocki Contemporary Polish stage design includes such marked individual artistic approaches and such a large number of outstanding personalities that to present them fully within the framework of the Prague Quadrennial is almost impossible. However, there are two trends in our stage designing which appear to have had a specific influence on the creation of distinct national characteristics in this area. Therefore, the organizers have limited the exhibition to these two trends and have limited the choice of authors, thus presenting only works which clearly illustrate these trends. The first trend is rooted in the tradition of old Polish religious mysteries and interludium plebeicum. In the Renaissance period the greatest Polish poets of the time wrote their plays according to these conventions. The same tradition found its way into the ritualistic folk theatre. The artists of the 20th century were fascinated by the charm of poetic forms full of ingenious simplicity. Leon Schiller was the first to introduce such plays on the stage. In the post-war period this work was continued mainly by Kazimierz Dejmek. Władysław Hasior was also inspired by this kind of art. An outstanding group of Polish stage designers attempted to find a way of expressing this art by means of contemporary painting. We present here the works of two representatives of this trend: A. Kilian and Z. Strzelecki. The second trend proceeds from the theatre of S. I. Witkiewicz /penname Witkacy/. The artist - a distinguished expressionist painter, playwright and theoretician of the theatre, was also a precursor of contemporary avant-garde theatre. He was a leading personality of his time but after a while was almost forgotten. The ideas of Víitkiewicz's theatre are at present developed throughout the world. In Polish drama his successors include Gombrowicz, Mrożek, Różewicz, Kajzar. Nevertheless Witkiewicz s ideas have a special significance for Polish stage design. They have not only changed the traditional function of stage sets, costumes, props and their application, but also created a new, fascinating and unusual atmosphere, which have greatly influenced the formation of our stage designers' imagination, in spite of the fact that naturally differences in the individual methods of artistic approach exist among them. The exhibition illustrates the characteristic features of the atmosphere of the theatrical world as it is created by a small group of stage designers, in spite of the fact that they use various methods and work with various types of theatre /Kołodziej, Mikulski, Gadowski, the husband and wife team Skarżyński, Wiśniak, K. Zachwatowicz/.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• 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.

Exhibiting works

• E. Bryll, K. Gertner: (Painted on the Pane), Teatr Wapólctesny Szczecin 1975, Director: J. Skotnicki,
  

  

  
  
  
• J. Wilkowski: (Mjzikant Zwyrtyla), Teatr Miniatura 0
  
  
  
• V. Čtvrtek: (Rumcajs), 0
  
  
  
• Jerzy Skarźyński

Additional information: Mrs. and Mr. Skarzinski both studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, at the Polytechnic and at the Film Institute. They made their debut at the Puppet Theatre in Cracow. At present they lecture at tne Academy of Fine Arta ín Cracow. Jerzy Skarzyński was born in 1924. Besides stage designing he also illustrates books and designs for films. He works mainly with the Groteska Theatre and tne Teatr Stary in Cracow as well as with theatres in foreign countries, for instance in Split, Hamburg, Amsterdam. His most significant works are the sets for Mrozek's Tango, Dürrenmatt's The Visit, Caligula by Camus, And Quiet Flows the Bon by Sholokhov, School for Women by Liebermann, America by Kafka, The Treepenny Opera by Brecht, Cosi fan tutte by Mozart, Ulysses by Joyce and The Devils of Loudun by Penderecki.

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• Zenobiusz Strzelecki

Additional information: Born in 1915; stage designer, theoretician and historian in the field of stage design. Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and the Institute of Theatre Art in Warsaw. He has designed about 160 stage sets. He is the foremost of Dejmek's collaborators; he has created the stage sets for religious mystery plays. For his work he was awarded the Festival of Drama Prize in the Soviet Union and the Ministry of Art and Culture Prize. He is a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. His best works include the scenes for Rej's Life of Joseph, Agamemnon by Aeschylus, Electra by Euripides, The Frogs by Aristophanes. He is the author of a two volume work Polska Plastyka Teatralna and a permanent contributor to the magazines Project, Teatr and Dialog.

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Exhibiting works

• H. Surkowski: (Old Polish Triptych), Teatr Lalki i Aktora 1972, Director: St. Ochmański,
  

  

  
  
  
• 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.

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Exhibiting works

• S. Mrozek: (The Slaughter), Teatr Dramatyczny 1975, Director: J. Jarocki,
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Marian Kolodziej

Additional information: Born in 1923. He studied stage design at the Academy of Fine Arts at Cracow. He works primarily at the Wybrzeže Theatre in Gdansk and collaborates with director Hanuszkiewicz at the National Theatre in Warsaw. Among his most important productions are The Merry Wives of Windsor, The History of the Rich Man and Lazar, The Undivine Comedy, Kordian.

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Exhibiting works

• J. S. Sito: (Condemnation of Doctor Faustus), Teatr Wybrzeže 1972, Director: M. Okopiński,
  

  

  

  
  
  
• E. Renan, J. Kreczmar: (Prospero's Robe), Teatr Wybrzeže 1974, Director: J. Kreczmar,
• F. Arrabal: (The Car Dump), Teatr Wybrzeže 1972, Director: S. Hebanowski,
  
  
  
• Franz Kafka: (The Trial), 0
  
  
  
• J. Švarc: (Drake), Teatr Śląski im. Stanisława Wyspiańskiego 0
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Williame Shakespeare: (Macbeth), Teatr Powszechny 0
  
  
  
• Edward Albee: (Tiny Alice), Teatr Wybrzeże 1972
  
  
  
• Nikolai Gogol: (The Inspector-General), Teatr Narodowy 1973
  
  
  
• Felicja Kruszewska: (A Dream), Teatr Wybrzeże 1974
  

  
  
  
• 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.
• Krystyna ZACHWATOWICZ-WAJDA (Krystyna Zachwatowicz)

Additional information: Born in 1930, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, where she specialized in stage design. She collaborates with theatres in Cracow and Wroclaw. Her most important stage designs include The Weddíng by Gombrowicz, Shakespeare's King Lear, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Ehrenburg's The Stormy Life of Lazik Rotschwanz, Krasinski's The Undivine Comedy, Witkiewicz's Mother and The November Dictum by Bryll. She has recently been working with directors A. Wajda and J. Jarocki.

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Exhibiting works

• : (The Exiles), Teatr Stary im. Modrzejewskiej 1975
• : (The Wedding), Teatr Dramatyczny Warszawa 1974
• 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.

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Exhibiting works

• : (A Bird or Not a Bird), Groteska Kraków 1974
• Lidia SKARZYŃSKA

Additional information: Mrs. and Mr. Skarzinski both studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, at the Polytechnic and at the Film Institute. They made their debut at the Puppet Theatre in Cracow. At present they lecture at tne Academy of Fine Arta ín Cracow. Jerzy Skarzyński was born in 1924. Besides stage designing he also illustrates books and designs for films. He works mainly with the Groteska Theatre and tne Teatr Stary in Cracow as well as with theatres in foreign countries, for instance in Split, Hamburg, Amsterdam. His most significant works are the sets for Mrozek's Tango, Dürrenmatt's The Visit, Caligula by Camus, And Quiet Flows the Bon by Sholokhov, School for Women by Liebermann, America by Kafka, The Treepenny Opera by Brecht, Cosi fan tutte by Mozart, Ulysses by Joyce and The Devils of Loudun by Penderecki.

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• Konrad SWINARSKI

Additional information: Studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Lodz and graduated as a stage designer at the Institute of Theatre Art in Warsaw. Later he worked as an assistant to B. Brecht in the Berliner Ensemble. At present he works mainly as a director. In several of his productions he also created the stage sets. He collaborates with the Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw, as well as with many European theatres. Recently he has been working with the Teatr Stary in Cracow.

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