Jacek Malczewski’s art, which is self-reflective and often tinged with irony, although it grew out of Matejko’s historical school, is not so much about history as it is about the artist’s role and duty towards reality. The painter (placing himself in opposition to Matejko) openly declared that he wants “to paint the living world, (…) reality, the truth” (quoted after: M. Haake, Portret w malarstwie polskim u progu nowoczesności, Kraków 2008, p. 279). Malczewski’s oeuvre developed in the shadow of the tempestuous and dramatic history of Poland. Today, this art is once again faced with war and is a witness to its savagery. Like refugees seeking asylum, Malczewski’s paintings arrive in Poland with a relief transport from Ukraine.

The exhibition „I Go into the World and I Endure. Paintings by Jacek Malczewski from the Boris Voznytskyi National Art Gallery in Lviv” is a gesture of aid and solidarity in the preservation of heritage and, as such, prompts reflection on its significance. It is a story about the fragility of the legacy of our ancestors; although it shapes our identity and thus contributes to the world’s culture, in the face of war it is exposed to the risk of being destroyed, ignored and passed over in silence. The exhibition is not a provocation to propose further erudite interpretations of Malczewski’s art, but rather an attempt to reinterpret it in the light of the current events we are witnessing. It is a multifaceted story about the work and solidarity of museum professionals, about what heritage is as well as about what and why should be protected.

The exhibition at the National Museum in Poznań has just been prolonged and will be available until October 1st, 2023.

Virtual tour: https://www.skanowanie.xyz/mnp-malczewski-en

More information: https://mnp.art.pl/wydarzenia_i_wystawy/ide-w-swiat-i-trwam-obrazy-jacka-malczewskiego-z-lwowskiej-narodowej-galerii-sztuki/