Noc Muzeow 2012

May 19th was the much anticipated Noc Museow.  I try to attend every year, and this one was no exception.  There also happened to be Juwenalia for Politechnika, but I chose to attend the 'high culture' option (i.e. go see some museums.)

I am ashamed to admit it, but I have never been to the famed Galeria Zacheta.  It's probably because most of its art is on semi-permanent exhibit at Muzeum Narodowy, but also because I just plain forgot to go.  Anyway, I gripped opportunity by the cojones and decided to visit this esteemed place of art.

It was a beautiful day, and as the sun set into evening, the lines started forming outside the many museums and galleries.  At Zacheta, there was some Wayne's World-looking fellow with a film crew and a pretty girl forcing interviewees to sign release statements walking about and being the area of much entertainment and interest of the crowd.  The crowd flooded in to the beautiful entrance of the gallery, to be welcomed with another crowd of people sitting everywhere.  Apparently, art was off the menu and ambient electronica was on.  The WEF Laptop Orkiestra Powered by Intel® was on the menu and playing up a gentle, soothing storm of bleeps, beeps, static, and thuds.  The Orkiestra was sitting on the upper level balcony at a long table covered with (you guessed it) laptops.  With names like Asdf, Xlorite, and Krzysztof Golinski, they seemed like true 1337s.  There was also a some small projections of shapes, lines, and the like to match the basic feel of the music.

The music wasn't terrible (at least, not in my taste) but I could take much of it, so I tried to find out else the Zacheta had to offer.  As it turned out, not much.  All other parts of the building were blocked off except an area dedicated to a modern art exhibit.  The topic of the exhibit was the Caucuses and the people and culture there.  There were some photos, split-screen video displays, static displays, videos, etc.  It wasn't too inspiring.  Like most modern art, it was both too loud and too quiet and rather slapdash.

I left the Zacheta feeling cheated.  I guess they only roll out the good stuff to paying guests.

Galeria Zacheta with the light display

Some media personality filming outside the Zacheta.  He interviewed a few folks (I was not one of them.) 

Right near the Zacheta is the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.  They had open doors, lights, and music, the whole shebang.  The music consisted of organ music played on the main organ.  Downstairs the church houses an impressive open gallery (the space is impressive).  They had an exhibit called 'Know Your Brother' (or something to that effect).  A slow, heavy bass beat out with the repeating of "I love you" in different, distorted voices.  Not something I'd expect to hear in a church's basement.  Art students' paintings adorned the walls, ranging from quiet OK to total shit (I'm sorry, but I'd be slapping some Fs on them.)

A respectable portrait

Not my type

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I'm not one to judge (I've never been good at drawing).  I admire that the church went ahead and displayed this art, and I admire the whole Noc Muzeow concept as well.  I do think, however, that this one was not as successful as other nights.  Better luck next year.

Oh, and: I love you.

The Gallery