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Wyspianski exhibition
Wyspianski exhibition
Kraków, Poland
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Other Projects by NArchitekTURA I NArchitecTURE
Wyspianski exhibition
Kraków, Poland
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2019
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
Dialogue between Art and Space
Joining the project of arranging the exhibition of Stanisław Wyspiański's works from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, we have tried to maintain a balance between the neutral background for the exhibits and a unique set design emphasizing the artist's genius. The varied nature of each of the seven rooms corresponds to the chronological and thematic narrative, following the concept of “gradation of impressions” – like in a film or theater scenario. Instead of literal quotations from Wyspianski’s work, we have proposed its modern interpretation, obtained with the use of advanced technologies (design and execution) and modern materials. The best example of this is the “vestibule” of the exposition enclosed entirely with perforated plywood panels. Digitally cut in modular elements, patterns are based on artist’s sketches, but their accumulation and multiplication in the form of a three-tier structure can also bring to mind contemporary art. In the context of current design and art trends it is a proof of the timelessness of Wyspiański's vision. The room “introducing” the audience into the exhibition space is therefore an attempt to transfer his unrealized ideas into the architecture scale, but it can also be perceived as an autonomous work of art.
The other rooms are kept in a more subdued style of white boxes – the so called white cube; however, each of them is distinguished by different ways of arrangement, adapted to the specificity of individual parts of the exhibition. In most of the exhibition spaces on the museum’s second floor we proposed the removal of redundant partition walls, aiming to restore the interior to its original layout. Finishing numerous view axes crossing the amphibious sequence of rooms with selected works of art underlines the impressive scale of exhibition, suggesting the direction of the visit. Starting with the first room – "At My Place" we have ensured the consistent, minimalist character of all parts of the exhibition.
Another aspect we have devoted much attention to are varied ways of perceiving Wyspiański's works. We wanted the viewer to see them in the same way as the artist once did. Hence, the decision to place stained glass designs for the Franciscan church in Krakow on the pedestals in one of the first exhibition rooms. This composition of seven horizontally arranged works of art can also be viewed from an elevated platform. In the other of the two spaces with the common name “Polychromes of Franciscan Church” on display is not only the final result of Wyspiański’s work, but also the whole creative process. In the display cabinets on the ground floor and the mezzanine you can see pounced drawings – templates, which, thanks to indirect lighting, show the mysterious composition of crosswise hand-crushed tracing patterns. On the main wall of this room there is also a monumental mosaic composed of several dozen polychrome sketches for the Franciscan church. It can be seen from two different levels, including the mezzanine additionally equipped with magnifying glass, which allows you to explore the details of multi-colored pastels. As part of this impressive collage of 15.0 x 5.0 m in total, historic paintings create a surprisingly contemporary composition.
In the next rooms there are further characteristic features of the exhibition – the so-called “chapels”. These are three free-standing cuboids for the exhibition of large-format works, which Wyspiański made for churches in Krakow and in Lviv. Unfortunately, most of them have not been implemented at their destination, so we have tried to design contemporary spaces dedicated to these works. These three “chapels” are an illustration of the desire to interpret the idea of the sacred in architecture, at the same time being unique examples of interiors designed exclusively for the exposition of individual works of art.
The first “chapel” in the room “History and Memorabilia” provides a setting for designs for the panels in the west window in Saint Mary’s church in Krakow. Separated, tapering inward, space fosters concentration and contemplation of this intricate composition. Outside the monolithic body, on exhibition are Wyspiański’s tracings from Krakow's Church of the Holy Cross, and on the surrounding walls his works have been juxtaposed with the works by another great Polish painter – Jan Matejko.
The other two “chapels” are located in the largest hall called “Theater of the Nation”. In the first one visitors can admire a design for the stained glass Polonia. A canvas with a height of over seven meters has been placed on a low pedestal, while its reflection can be seen in a mirrored plane arranged at a specific angle. The use of optical illusion in this interior creates interesting relationships between reflected and real images. Next to it there is the last “chapel”, where on display are three stained glass designs for the chancel of the Wawel cathedral. Its projection is based on a circle, and the light in the interior is obtained with the use of an oval opening in the ceiling. As to the arrangement of this place, our original source of inspiration was the Roman Pantheon. Only later, to our surprise, have we discovered that in the first project of the National Museum of the 1930s Wyspiański’s stained glass was to be exhibited in a rotunda of similar form and location. This coincidence gives the space a contextual dimension. Interestingly, the colors of all our “chapels” are based on averaging the colors of the churches in Krakow and Lviv, for which these works were made by Wyspiański. In our project we have also used ornamentation taken from these interiors.
In the hall “Theater of the Nation” there is also a contemplative area topped with the only window allowing access to the outside of the building within the exhibition. The narrow vertical gap appears on the axis of the passage between the “chapels”, near the Acropolis model and a longitudinal bench, which can also serve as an elevated viewing platform. Here the audience is surrounded by excerpts from Wyspiański's plays – Liberation and The Wedding. This immaterial way of exposition draws attention to the transitory nature of the word, but, at the same time, to the timelessness of these works. In the same room there are other quotations from Wyspiański's literary works, this time glued on the walls (with the application of the artist’s often used roman font). In most of them optical correction has been used – the height of the font increases gradually with the height of the room; however, from the level of the viewer the size of each line seems the same. In the graphic design we have also tried to implement one of Wyspiański's unrealized ideas. At the end of his life he planned to invent a new font that would be a synthesis of the typefaces characteristic of his contemporary writers. This motif appears in some of the texts on the exhibition walls.
In the next room – “Not Paris, but Krakow” on show are the artist’s works created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries during his stay on the Seine and in his hometown. The distinctive feature of this space is a freestanding wall which gives the impression of levitation above the level of the floor. On show here are only two pictures: Morning over the Castle on one side, and Winter on the other. Additionally, in this space one of the main composition axes of the exhibition is topped with three famous pastels depicting the view over the Kościuszko Mound in Krakow.
In the long hall entitled “Ars – Apollo” on display is Wyspiański’s rich collection of designs. Most of the artifacts are presented here on thematically grouped pedestals in the central part of the room. On the largest wall visitors have an opportunity to see fabrics: curtains, rugs and mats from the Medical Society House in Krakow. Their unified bases are painted burgundy (this color has been taken from the existing interior in Radziwiłłska Street), and the whole geometric composition can also be admired from the opposite mezzanine. The latter has also a small room, which can be described as a contemporary interpretation of the no longer extant interior, produced by Wyspiański on the occasion of the Jubilee Exhibition of the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Sztuk Pięknych [Friends of Fine Arts Society] in Krakow in 1904. The work, known exclusively from archival photographs, has become a source of inspiration for a completely new project. Historical elements of wall decoration, paintings and furniture have been engraved on the walls of gray mdf. The only exhibits in this intimate space are three steel stars decorating the door frames – one of the few elements preserved from the original work. In the “Ars – Apollo” room one can also see prototypes of the famous stained glass window Apollo from the Medical Society House in Krakow.
The last object shown at the exhibition is Stanisław Wyspiański’s original easel, displayed in a separate niche near the exit. The walls of this room have been painted blue, which is a reference to the artist’s “sapphire studio” at Krowoderska Street.
Work on the design for the exhibition lasted almost a year, and as a result the last floor of the Main Building of the National Museum in Krakow has been significantly rebuilt. For the needs of about five hundred exhibits we have designed new showcases, pedestals, frames and even nonstandard stands for descriptions of individual works of art. The whole has been complemented by precisely selected lighting – direct and indirect.
The possibility of confronting our design vision with the work of one of the most outstanding Polish artists was a great honor and a challenge for us. In our project we tried to produce a scenario of space in which supporting roles – layout and design, lighting and étalage – contribute to the leading role – the multidisciplinary work of Stanisław Wyspiański. This architecture, which remains in the shadow of the brilliant artist, is visible though, stimulating dialogue between artworks and their surroundings and the viewers.
Joining the project of arranging the exhibition of Stanisław Wyspiański's works from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, we have tried to maintain a balance between the neutral background for the exhibits and a unique set design emphasizing the artist's genius. The varied nature of each of the seven rooms corresponds to the chronological and thematic narrative, following the concept of “gradation of impressions” – like in a film or theater scenario. Instead of literal quotations from Wyspianski’s work, we have proposed its modern interpretation, obtained with the use of advanced technologies (design and execution) and modern materials. The best example of this is the “vestibule” of the exposition enclosed entirely with perforated plywood panels. Digitally cut in modular elements, patterns are based on artist’s sketches, but their accumulation and multiplication in the form of a three-tier structure can also bring to mind contemporary art. In the context of current design and art trends it is a proof of the timelessness of Wyspiański's vision. The room “introducing” the audience into the exhibition space is therefore an attempt to transfer his unrealized ideas into the architecture scale, but it can also be perceived as an autonomous work of art.
The other rooms are kept in a more subdued style of white boxes – the so called white cube; however, each of them is distinguished by different ways of arrangement, adapted to the specificity of individual parts of the exhibition. In most of the exhibition spaces on the museum’s second floor we proposed the removal of redundant partition walls, aiming to restore the interior to its original layout. Finishing numerous view axes crossing the amphibious sequence of rooms with selected works of art underlines the impressive scale of exhibition, suggesting the direction of the visit. Starting with the first room – "At My Place" we have ensured the consistent, minimalist character of all parts of the exhibition.
Another aspect we have devoted much attention to are varied ways of perceiving Wyspiański's works. We wanted the viewer to see them in the same way as the artist once did. Hence, the decision to place stained glass designs for the Franciscan church in Krakow on the pedestals in one of the first exhibition rooms. This composition of seven horizontally arranged works of art can also be viewed from an elevated platform. In the other of the two spaces with the common name “Polychromes of Franciscan Church” on display is not only the final result of Wyspiański’s work, but also the whole creative process. In the display cabinets on the ground floor and the mezzanine you can see pounced drawings – templates, which, thanks to indirect lighting, show the mysterious composition of crosswise hand-crushed tracing patterns. On the main wall of this room there is also a monumental mosaic composed of several dozen polychrome sketches for the Franciscan church. It can be seen from two different levels, including the mezzanine additionally equipped with magnifying glass, which allows you to explore the details of multi-colored pastels. As part of this impressive collage of 15.0 x 5.0 m in total, historic paintings create a surprisingly contemporary composition.
In the next rooms there are further characteristic features of the exhibition – the so-called “chapels”. These are three free-standing cuboids for the exhibition of large-format works, which Wyspiański made for churches in Krakow and in Lviv. Unfortunately, most of them have not been implemented at their destination, so we have tried to design contemporary spaces dedicated to these works. These three “chapels” are an illustration of the desire to interpret the idea of the sacred in architecture, at the same time being unique examples of interiors designed exclusively for the exposition of individual works of art.
The first “chapel” in the room “History and Memorabilia” provides a setting for designs for the panels in the west window in Saint Mary’s church in Krakow. Separated, tapering inward, space fosters concentration and contemplation of this intricate composition. Outside the monolithic body, on exhibition are Wyspiański’s tracings from Krakow's Church of the Holy Cross, and on the surrounding walls his works have been juxtaposed with the works by another great Polish painter – Jan Matejko.
The other two “chapels” are located in the largest hall called “Theater of the Nation”. In the first one visitors can admire a design for the stained glass Polonia. A canvas with a height of over seven meters has been placed on a low pedestal, while its reflection can be seen in a mirrored plane arranged at a specific angle. The use of optical illusion in this interior creates interesting relationships between reflected and real images. Next to it there is the last “chapel”, where on display are three stained glass designs for the chancel of the Wawel cathedral. Its projection is based on a circle, and the light in the interior is obtained with the use of an oval opening in the ceiling. As to the arrangement of this place, our original source of inspiration was the Roman Pantheon. Only later, to our surprise, have we discovered that in the first project of the National Museum of the 1930s Wyspiański’s stained glass was to be exhibited in a rotunda of similar form and location. This coincidence gives the space a contextual dimension. Interestingly, the colors of all our “chapels” are based on averaging the colors of the churches in Krakow and Lviv, for which these works were made by Wyspiański. In our project we have also used ornamentation taken from these interiors.
In the hall “Theater of the Nation” there is also a contemplative area topped with the only window allowing access to the outside of the building within the exhibition. The narrow vertical gap appears on the axis of the passage between the “chapels”, near the Acropolis model and a longitudinal bench, which can also serve as an elevated viewing platform. Here the audience is surrounded by excerpts from Wyspiański's plays – Liberation and The Wedding. This immaterial way of exposition draws attention to the transitory nature of the word, but, at the same time, to the timelessness of these works. In the same room there are other quotations from Wyspiański's literary works, this time glued on the walls (with the application of the artist’s often used roman font). In most of them optical correction has been used – the height of the font increases gradually with the height of the room; however, from the level of the viewer the size of each line seems the same. In the graphic design we have also tried to implement one of Wyspiański's unrealized ideas. At the end of his life he planned to invent a new font that would be a synthesis of the typefaces characteristic of his contemporary writers. This motif appears in some of the texts on the exhibition walls.
In the next room – “Not Paris, but Krakow” on show are the artist’s works created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries during his stay on the Seine and in his hometown. The distinctive feature of this space is a freestanding wall which gives the impression of levitation above the level of the floor. On show here are only two pictures: Morning over the Castle on one side, and Winter on the other. Additionally, in this space one of the main composition axes of the exhibition is topped with three famous pastels depicting the view over the Kościuszko Mound in Krakow.
In the long hall entitled “Ars – Apollo” on display is Wyspiański’s rich collection of designs. Most of the artifacts are presented here on thematically grouped pedestals in the central part of the room. On the largest wall visitors have an opportunity to see fabrics: curtains, rugs and mats from the Medical Society House in Krakow. Their unified bases are painted burgundy (this color has been taken from the existing interior in Radziwiłłska Street), and the whole geometric composition can also be admired from the opposite mezzanine. The latter has also a small room, which can be described as a contemporary interpretation of the no longer extant interior, produced by Wyspiański on the occasion of the Jubilee Exhibition of the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Sztuk Pięknych [Friends of Fine Arts Society] in Krakow in 1904. The work, known exclusively from archival photographs, has become a source of inspiration for a completely new project. Historical elements of wall decoration, paintings and furniture have been engraved on the walls of gray mdf. The only exhibits in this intimate space are three steel stars decorating the door frames – one of the few elements preserved from the original work. In the “Ars – Apollo” room one can also see prototypes of the famous stained glass window Apollo from the Medical Society House in Krakow.
The last object shown at the exhibition is Stanisław Wyspiański’s original easel, displayed in a separate niche near the exit. The walls of this room have been painted blue, which is a reference to the artist’s “sapphire studio” at Krowoderska Street.
Work on the design for the exhibition lasted almost a year, and as a result the last floor of the Main Building of the National Museum in Krakow has been significantly rebuilt. For the needs of about five hundred exhibits we have designed new showcases, pedestals, frames and even nonstandard stands for descriptions of individual works of art. The whole has been complemented by precisely selected lighting – direct and indirect.
The possibility of confronting our design vision with the work of one of the most outstanding Polish artists was a great honor and a challenge for us. In our project we tried to produce a scenario of space in which supporting roles – layout and design, lighting and étalage – contribute to the leading role – the multidisciplinary work of Stanisław Wyspiański. This architecture, which remains in the shadow of the brilliant artist, is visible though, stimulating dialogue between artworks and their surroundings and the viewers.
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