history

 
 

 
       The beginning of the decentrist movement dates back to 1986 when a well-known Polish writer and thinker, Adam Wi¶niewski-Snerg formulated its guidelines in his manifesto, My Conception of Decentrism

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       The manifesto was written due to many discussions concerning modern art between the author and Marek Ruff, a student preparing to his MA exam.

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       Based on the manifesto Marek Ruff paints, in J. Sienicki’s artshop, a series of six paintings which become the subject of his MA thesis for the Warsaw’s ASP Department of Painting in 1987. Thus, the first cycle of paintings influenced by the manifesto is created as the first attempt at dealing with the potent, yet philosophically ambiguous, idea of decentrism.

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       In 1994 A. Wi¶niewski-Snerg fully supported by Marek Ruff hands over the manifesto to Janusz Elis Kowalski, who until that moment has propagated the idea of decentrism within the artistic world of Paris.

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       As the result of these actions an artistic group initially containing polish artists arises in 1996. Its aim is to propagate decentrism as a new artistic current.

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       The activity gains support of Warsaw artists’, Marek Ruff being one of them. The new artistic movement encloses more and more fields of culture (sculpture, graphics, poetry, music, and cinematography) as well as accepts new followers from abroad: French, German, Argentine, Spanish, and Japanese among them. Also artists from Russia and Brasil are interested in the matter. Janusz Elis Kowalski introduces the program and activities of the group to Mr. Tomasz Stróżyński, the Headmaster of the Polish Institute, the main Polish cultural institution in Paris. The fruit of the talks done together with Marek Ruff is the first decentrism exhibition, “Dialogue avec invisible” (Dialogue with the Invisible). The organisers are J. Elis Kowalski, Marek Ruff and the Polish Institute, which therefore supports the new idea and partially sponsors it.

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       Ms Elżbieta Lubomirska (Warsaw) is chosen for the post of the exhibition’s commissioner. Apart from the local, Parisian group, a group of artists working and living in Poland, and focused around the precursor of the movement, Marek Ruff, take part in the exhibition.

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       The exhibition is documented in a catalogue (1000 copies) designed by  Elżbieta Lubomirska and printed in Warsaw thanks to funds gathered by Marek Ruff from several private sponsors (all listed in the catalogue).

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    First publications concerning decentrism appear in press (e.g. Sukces, Nowy Tygodnik, Kurier Paryski). RFI, a media station in Paris, records a program summing the exhibition. Both journalists and art historians are vividly interested in the matter. Decentrism gains the opportunity to prepare a big exposition in Corsica in 1999 and the Modern Art Museum from Rio De Janeiro asks for documentation. The movement gains support from the French cell of the Polish Science Academy through its vice-president prof. Wanda Krzemińska.

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       In 1998 the National Art Institute in Moscow offers to prepare a major exhibition. Dr Igor Swietłow and dr Tatiana Bielajewa (Pushkin Museum) are involved. The exhibition does not take place due to lack of sponsorship, although Jerzy Giedroyc and prof. Wanda Krzemińska support the idea.

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       In March of 1999, J. Elis Kowalski presents his works at the “Galerie 13” in Paris (Villa St. Michel). Later that year, J. Elis Kowalski gives a lecture on decentrism at the Cotton Club in Hamburg. The lecture receives much attention.  

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       After 1999, decentrist artists, philosophers and art theoreticians meet on many occasions, which leads to the creation of a number of texts focused on the theory of decentrism. Additionally, further exhibitions are held, in order to reach closer towards the realization of the basic decentrist ideas. Some of them are as follows:

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       2005 – November/December – international exhibition of decentrist works in Lyon – Galerie Passarelle. The exhibition is organized by  Zbigniew Więckowski, a painter who lives in Paris.

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       2006 – July - Warsaw – “Do trzech razy.....Sztuka” art gallery – an exhibition titled “Krok w stronę decentryzmu” (A step towards decentrism) is co-organized by Dariusz Kowalski, Marek Ruff, Dorota Łacek Gorczyca and Darek Osiński.
  Apart from the above mentioned artists, the exhibition also features works of Janusz Elis Kowalski.

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       2006 – September – Together with J. Elis Kowalski, Zbigniew Więckowski organizes another international event at the Galerie “Art. Montparnesse” in Paris.
   

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      2006 – October/November: Reproductions of the works from the earlier exhibition are presented in the French magazine “Miroir de l’art” together with an article titled “Connaissez – sous le decentrisme?”

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       2007 – the District Museum in Kalisz – the exhibition “Decentryzm – Ukryty Wymiar” (Decentrism – The Hidden Dimension) is the first major event in Poland among the exhibitions focusing on decentrism. The exhibition features works of 22 artists from all around the world. Włodzimierz Ćwir is the custodian of this event. During the exhibition, a symposium concerning the theory of decentrism takes place. Lectures are given by prof. Bruno Koper from Paris and by J. Elis Kowalski. The symposium also features a movie presenting the works of Christina Oiticica (the wife of writer Paulo Coelho), who also takes part in the exhibition. Jarosław Kruk designs a catalogue which documents the exhibition and which is issued (450 copies) in Paris. The catalogue’s introduction is written by the famous writer Paolo Coelho.

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       2008 – 4-18 May – an exhibition titled “Decentrism” is held at Galerie im Hofgut, Reinheim, Germany. Alexander Fleischer is the organiser and the commissioner of the exhibition.

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       2008 – July/August - Art Exhibition Bureau in Ostrowiec ¦więtokrzyski – Dariusz Kowalski – Kodar is the commissioner of the exhibition “W Poszukiwaniu Ukrytej Dominanty”(In Search of the Hidden Dominant). The event features works of 42 artists from all over the world. Once again, the exhibition is documented in a catalogue (600 copies) designed by Jarosław Kruk and edited by Janusz Elis Kowalski.

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       The exhibition is preceded by the first ever international open air sculpture workshop “W Poszukiwaniu Nowej Formy” (In Search of the New Form) organised in Nietulisk (July 1-18) by Darek Kowalski – Kodar who serves as the event’s custodian.

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       The whole event is organised under the auspices of Jerzy Biernat, the chairman of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers.

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     After the exhibition a symposium concerning the subject is held in Ostrowiec ¦więtokrzyski and the lecturers include dr hab. Henryk Kiere¶, prof. KUL, who is the director of the Faculty of the Philosophy of Art; Michel Salsmann, professor of the Academie Des Beaux – Arts in Paris; Janusz Elis Kowalski, Dorota Łacek Gorczyca; prof. Sergiusz Sachno (lecture on decentrism in photography).

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       2008 – the exhibition “W Poszukiwaniu Ukrytej Dominanty”(In Search of the Hidden Dominant)is moved from the Art Exhibition Bureau in Ostrowiec ¦więtokrzyski to the District Museum in Kalisz. Włodzimierz Ćwir becomes the custodian of the exhibition, which is the finisage of the event. Once again, a symposium focusing on the idea of decentrism is held and the lecturers include prof. Bruno Koper and Janusz Elis Kowalski from Paris, and Marek Ruff from Poland.