Goodbye, Till Toomorrow
The Gda艅sk City Gallery is pleased to present a collective exhibition entitled Goodbye, Till Tomorrow (Do widzenia, do jutra). It is inspired by Janusz Morgenstern鈥檚 1960 film by the same name, now a classic and a must鈥憌atch for every movie aficionado, especially those interested in the history of post-war Gda艅sk. However, this was not always the case. Shortly after the film was released in Poland, it was panned by many critics for its allegedly naive vision of youth and emotions experienced by the protagonists. Later, in retrospect, critics began to appreciate the film鈥檚 prophetic vision of the emerging New Wave. A careful viewer will spot additional gems, such as the hands theatre performance in the opening credits. The real actors (literally) behind the curtain were members of the CO TO theatre founded by students of Sopot鈥檚 State Higher School of Fine Arts, now renamed the Academy of Fine Arts in Gda艅sk. One of its actors was the late professor W艂odzimierz 艁ajming, who taught at the Academy for many years. Interestingly enough, 艁ajming portrayed himself in the film, playing a student co-creating the theatre.
Today鈥檚 viewers of the film will have a rare opportunity to see the landmarks of the post-war Gda艅sk before its rebuilding: the ruins of St. Mary鈥檚 Church (with a stray dog roaming around), the empty squares of the Main City (now tightly packed with tenement houses), the tram in the D艂ugi Targ street, and the poster pillar by the Neptune鈥檚 fountain. The gloomy frames are a backdrop to the love story of two young people that conveys the climate of the Thaw and the faith in restoring human relations after the horrors of the Second World War and Stalinism, while deliberately shrugging off any reference to the politics or economy of the time.
In the context of the exhibition, which borrows its title from Morgenstern鈥檚 film, we focus not so much on the selected artistic circle from the TriCity but rather on the affective nature of the works representing various techniques, formats and styles. We want to look at affect in the same way as the filmmakers did: as something cathartic and refocusing our attention to fundamental human relationships, which are all the more important the more difficult our times turn out to be. The recent few years have been challenging for us all: the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, violations of basic human rights have been and are a trying test. In the time of solidarity and humanistic gestures, we become painfully aware of the strength and importance of mutual personal relations across economic, national or political divisions.
It is no coincidence that we planned to open this exhibition at the end of summer 2023 as we want it to be viewed in the sleepy atmosphere of late August. It is a time when, submerged in holiday laziness, we tend to recollect people and events from our past. We remember our summer travels and travel companions. The key to understanding the exhibition lies in direct interpersonal relations, the naturalness and simplicity of which testifies to our individual uniqueness. The choice of the artists is also deliberate as they represent the most interesting personalities of the TriCity region. Collecting their works in one room may seem a bold project since each artist is a strong and distinct personality with a unique sensitivity and tenor. Each story is moving and poignant. Artists of various generations and modes of expressions undertake to answer the question how everyday behaviours and emotions, such as friendship, love, but also despair of parting, sadness, fear or loneliness, are manifested in their work. Like Morgenstern鈥檚 film, the exhibition is a witness to our affects and relationships in a specific time and place. The strength of the film is revealed years later: in the images of Gda艅sk from the early 1960s, in the interactions between people who were young and who experienced their youthful emotions at that time. The strength of the Goodbye, Till Tomorrow exhibition will be a contemporary look at ourselves through the lens of our present feelings.
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The Gda艅sk City Gallery is pleased to present a collective exhibition entitled Goodbye, Till Tomorrow (Do widzenia, do jutra). It is inspired by Janusz Morgenstern鈥檚 1960 film by the same name, now a classic and a must鈥憌atch for every movie aficionado, especially those interested in the history of post-war Gda艅sk. However, this was not always the case. Shortly after the film was released in Poland, it was panned by many critics for its allegedly naive vision of youth and emotions experienced by the protagonists. Later, in retrospect, critics began to appreciate the film鈥檚 prophetic vision of the emerging New Wave. A careful viewer will spot additional gems, such as the hands theatre performance in the opening credits. The real actors (literally) behind the curtain were members of the CO TO theatre founded by students of Sopot鈥檚 State Higher School of Fine Arts, now renamed the Academy of Fine Arts in Gda艅sk. One of its actors was the late professor W艂odzimierz 艁ajming, who taught at the Academy for many years. Interestingly enough, 艁ajming portrayed himself in the film, playing a student co-creating the theatre.
Today鈥檚 viewers of the film will have a rare opportunity to see the landmarks of the post-war Gda艅sk before its rebuilding: the ruins of St. Mary鈥檚 Church (with a stray dog roaming around), the empty squares of the Main City (now tightly packed with tenement houses), the tram in the D艂ugi Targ street, and the poster pillar by the Neptune鈥檚 fountain. The gloomy frames are a backdrop to the love story of two young people that conveys the climate of the Thaw and the faith in restoring human relations after the horrors of the Second World War and Stalinism, while deliberately shrugging off any reference to the politics or economy of the time.
In the context of the exhibition, which borrows its title from Morgenstern鈥檚 film, we focus not so much on the selected artistic circle from the TriCity but rather on the affective nature of the works representing various techniques, formats and styles. We want to look at affect in the same way as the filmmakers did: as something cathartic and refocusing our attention to fundamental human relationships, which are all the more important the more difficult our times turn out to be. The recent few years have been challenging for us all: the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, violations of basic human rights have been and are a trying test. In the time of solidarity and humanistic gestures, we become painfully aware of the strength and importance of mutual personal relations across economic, national or political divisions.
It is no coincidence that we planned to open this exhibition at the end of summer 2023 as we want it to be viewed in the sleepy atmosphere of late August. It is a time when, submerged in holiday laziness, we tend to recollect people and events from our past. We remember our summer travels and travel companions. The key to understanding the exhibition lies in direct interpersonal relations, the naturalness and simplicity of which testifies to our individual uniqueness. The choice of the artists is also deliberate as they represent the most interesting personalities of the TriCity region. Collecting their works in one room may seem a bold project since each artist is a strong and distinct personality with a unique sensitivity and tenor. Each story is moving and poignant. Artists of various generations and modes of expressions undertake to answer the question how everyday behaviours and emotions, such as friendship, love, but also despair of parting, sadness, fear or loneliness, are manifested in their work. Like Morgenstern鈥檚 film, the exhibition is a witness to our affects and relationships in a specific time and place. The strength of the film is revealed years later: in the images of Gda艅sk from the early 1960s, in the interactions between people who were young and who experienced their youthful emotions at that time. The strength of the Goodbye, Till Tomorrow exhibition will be a contemporary look at ourselves through the lens of our present feelings.
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