Exhibition GRAND FINALE. PORTRAITS OF POLISH ACTORS by Witold Krassowski at the 28th Polish Film Festival in America
October 21 – November 30, 2016
GRAND FINALE. PORTRAITS OF POLISH ACTORS, a fascinating exhibition of works by eminent Polish artist Witold Krassowski will be available to Chicago viewers from October 22nd to November 30th in 1112 Gallery of the Society for Arts (1112 North Milwaukee Ave.). The exhibit is one of many sidebar events to the 28th Polish Film Festival in America, and has never been shown outside of Poland.
Seventy black and white photos of Polish stage and screen masters on display were executed in five years. Portraits were never staged and result from following the models in various moments in their lives, particularly inside theatres, off stage. Many presented photographs were taken in the last moments of famous stars in addition to the others which depict septuagenarians, still very much active professionally. Among the portrayed are: Tadeusz Lomnicki, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Gystaw Holoubek, Jan Machulski, Wieslaw Golas, but also Jan Kobuszewski, Maja Komorowska, Andrzej Seweryn, Daniel Olbrychski, Jerzy Stuhr, Barbara Krafftowna and Danuta Szaflarska.
Witold Krassowski (b.1956) graduated from French Literature and Applied Linguistics at the University of Warsaw and Institut de Linguistique Generale at Universite Paris III, Sorbonne Nouvelle. For nearly forty years he has been involved in social photography while making photo reports for numerous reputable European magazines. Also, his works have appeared in many publications in Europe and North America.Winner and from 1999 juror of World Press Photo. Since 2012, deputy dean at the Faculty of Media Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw; also, he teaches in other art schools in Poland. Among his individual shows were exhibits in Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary and the United States. His books include “Visages de l’Est”, “Afghanistan” and “After Images of Poland.”
A unique coffee-table book A SONG FOR THE EXIT signed by the author and occasional exhibition poster are available for purchase during the show. Both publications are limited edition collector’s items.
The exhibition continues to November 30th and can be viewed in the gallery hours, which will vary due to the festival screenings. In addition, the display will be presented in part in the State of Illinois Building from November 14th. For information, please call: 773-486-9612.
The project is co-organized by the Chicago Warsaw Sister Cities Committee, Nike Foundation and the Academy of Photo Discoveries, co-sponsored by Star-Tech Glass, Inc. The poster was printed thanks to a partial support from Chicago Metal Supply.
Major sponsors of the 28th Polish Film Festival in America are: Polish Film Institute, LOT Polish Airlines, Star-Tech Glass, Inc., IVY Hotel and Society for Arts.
Major media sponsors are 1030 AM and WPNA1490 AM.
