RYSZARD WINIARSKI Ryszard Winiarski – an irrevocable decision Anna and Jerzy Starak The black and white Areas by Ryszard Winiarski were ones of the art of the second half of the 20th century is some- of the first paintings we purchased for our collection of times difficult. At the same time, it brings numerous sur- the Polish Art of the second half of 20th century. Beautiful prising and important discoveries. The Polish artists whose and spectacular, they amaze with mathematical harmony. names are particularly well-known today include i.a. Alina They attract attention, arouse awe and interest. Remarkable Szapocznikow, Andrzej Wróblewski, or Edward Krasiński. is the persistence with which the artist executed and com- We deeply believe that Ryszard Winiarski deserves bined the developed methods, the masterful consistency equal interest. of the intellectual game with the excellent aesthetics being We are thankful to all persons and institutions engaged considerably ahead of its times. in preparing Ryszard Winiarski “Event – Information – Im- Yet it is not only the oeuvre of Ryszard Winiarski that age” exhibition. You have made the event meaningful and is fascinating. He himself appears to be an extraordinary worthy of the task of presenting this special output. personality in his friends, family and other artists’ recollec- Following Winiarski’s explorations developed in tions. Engineer – passionate, artist – visionary, teacher – ani- the successive decades of his activity, you can rely on the mator. Bold, insightful, searching. Talented and hardworking. emotions brought by chance during a game or the intel- In the period of his greatest activity, he was noticed and ap- lectual insight of “Penetration of illusory and real spaces” preciated by critics. He collaborated and exhibited with great when viewing the exhibition. Winiarski encourages artists of the 1970s. He boldly took up the challenge of inter- – Decide for yourself! disciplinarity and interactivity posed by conceptualists. Most of all, however, he developed an artistic programme which has not lost its topicality after 50 years since its debut. These reasons were more than sufficient for us to make the decision to present Ryszard Winiarski’s personality and oeuvre to a broader public in an international context. We would like to thank the organisers for their decision to include Ryszard Winiarski’s retrospective ex- hibition in the official programme of the Collateral Events of 57th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. It is a significant distinction. The process of introducing artists from behind “the Iron Curtain” to the consciousness of the critics and researchers 5 Ryszard Winiarski – una decisione irrevocabile Anna e Jerzy Starak Le Aree bianconere Ryszard Winiarski sono state tra i primi Nel contempo però ha come conseguenza quadri acquistati per la nostra collezione dell’arte polacca numerose scoperte sorprendenti e valide. Tra gli artisti della seconda metà del XX° secolo. Belli e impressionanti, polacchi attualmente ammirati ed apprezzati si trovano incantano con armonia matematica. Attirano attenzione, già Alina Szapocznikow, Andrzej Wróblewski, Edward Krasiń- suscitano interesse e ammirazione. È doveroso apprezzare ski. Crediamo fermamente che Ryszard Winiarski si meriti la costanza con la quale l’artista realizzava e univa i metodi l’interesse di pari dimensioni. elaborati, la coerenza magistrale tra la competizione intel- Desideriamo ringraziare tutte le persone e le istituzioni lettuale raffinata e l’estetica che precedeva la sua epoca. impegnate nella realizzazione della mostra di Ryszard Tuttavia affascina non solo l’opera di Ryszard Winiarski. Winiarski „Event – Information – Image”. Grazie a Voi questo Nei ricordi di amici, artisti e familiari, lui stesso appare evento ha assunto importanza significativa, adeguata con una personalità insolita. Ingegnere – appassionato, a rappresentare quest’opera artistica particolare. artista – visionario, pedagogo – animatore. Coraggioso, Seguendo nella mostra le ricerche artistiche di Wi- perspicace, indagatore. Dotato e laborioso. Nel corso del niarski, sviluppate nelle varie decadi della sua attività, periodo all’apice della sua attività,notato ed apprezzato dai possiamo affidarci alle emozioni connesse alla sorte nel critici. Ha collaborato ed ha esposto le sue opere insieme gioco oppure farci guidare dallo spirito indagatore delle ai grandi personaggi dell’arte degli anni ’70. Ha raccolto „Penetrazioni degli spazi illusori e reali”. Winiarski ci invita senza esitazione la sfida dei concettualisti nell’ambito – Decidi da solo! dell’interdisciplinarità e interattività. Ma soprattutto ha creato il programma artistico che anche a distanza di 50 anni rimane sempre attuale. Sono motivi sufficienti per farci prendere la decisione di presentare il personaggio e l’opera di Ryszard Winiarski al pubblico internazionale. Vorremmo qui ringraziare gli organizzatori per aver introdotto la mostra retrospettiva di Ryszard Winiarski nel programma ufficiale degli eventi collaterali della 57 Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte – La Biennale di Venezia. È un riconoscimento importante. Il processo di portare alla consapevolezza generale dei cri- tici e degli studiosi dell’arte della II metà del XX secolo gli 6 artisti da oltre la Cortina di Ferro incontra spesso difficoltà. Ryszard Winiarski – n i e o d w o ł a l n a d e c y z j a Anna i Jerzy Starakowie Czarno-białe Obszary Ryszarda Winiarskiego znalazły się zza tak zwanej Żelaznej Kurtyny bywa trudny. Jednocześnie w naszej kolekcji polskiej sztuki drugiej połowy XX wieku, przynosi wiele zaskakujących i ważnych odkryć. Wśród jako jedne z pierwszych zakupionych obrazów. Piękne polskich artystów, których nazwiska wybrzmiewają dzisiaj i efektowne, zachwycają matematyczną harmonią. Przyku- szczególnie mocno, są już m.in. Alina Szapocznikow, wają uwagę, wywołują zainteresowanie i podziw. Uznanie Andrzej Wróblewski, czy Edward Krasiński. Głęboko wie- budzi konsekwencja, z jaką artysta realizował i łączył rzymy, że Ryszard Winiarski zasługuje na równie poważne wypracowane metody, mistrzowską spójność wyrafinowanej zainteresowanie. intelektualnej rozgrywki z doskonałą i znacznie Dziękujemy wszystkim osobom i instytucjom zaanga- wyprzedzającą swój czas estetyką. żowanym w realizację wystawy Ryszard Winiarski „Event Niemniej, nie tylko twórczość Ryszarda Winiarskiego – Information – Image”. Dzięki Wam wydarzenie nabrało jest fascynująca. We wspomnieniach przyjaciół, artystów, znaczącego wymiaru, godnego zadania prezentacji tego rodziny on sam jawi się jako niezwykła osobowość. Inżynier szczególnego dorobku. – pasjonat, artysta – wizjoner, pedagog – animator. Odważny, Idąc za poszukiwaniami Winiarskiego, rozwijanych przenikliwy, poszukujący. Zdolny i pracowity. W czasie w kolejnych dekadach Jego aktywności, na wystawie największej aktywności, zauważony i ceniony przez krytyków. możemy zdać się na emocje, jakie przynosi nam los w grze, Współpracował i wystawiał z wielkimi artystycznymi nazwi- albo poddać się intelektualnej dociekliwości „Penetracji skami lat 70-tych. Śmiało podjął wyzwanie konceptualistów przestrzeni iluzorycznych i realnych”. Winiarski zachęca o interdyscyplinarności i interaktywności. Nade wszystko – Zdecyduj sam! jednak, opracował program artystyczny, który po ponad 50 latach od debiutu nic nie traci na aktualności. To wystarczające powody, dla których podjęliśmy decyzję, aby postać i twórczość Ryszarda Winiarskiego przedstawić szerszej publiczności w kontekście międzynarodowym. W tym miejscu chcielibyśmy podziękować organizatorom za decyzję o włączeniu retrospektywnej wystawy Ryszarda Winiarskiego do oficjalnego programu wydarzeń towarzy- szących 57 Międzynarodowej Wystawy Sztuki – La Biennale di Venezia. To znaczące wyróżnienie. Proces wprowadzania do powszechnej świadomości krytyków i badaczy sztuki II połowy XX wieku artystów 7 Artist, mathematician, philosopher Bożena Kowalska Ryszard Winiarski was one of those exceptional artists the author would not designate these pieces as paintings. who were completely mature creators both in terms He called them “Attempts to Visually Represent Statistical of the thinking and the artistic attitude already in their Distributions.” For example: each of the objects he cre- initial works. In 1966, when he just turned 30 and received ated was precisely programmed – as regards alternative a diploma of graduation from the Academy of Fine Arts sizes of squares into which the operation plane was to be in Warsaw, his paintings were awarded the Grand Prix divided, selection of the painting corner where the filling at the Symposium of Artists and Scientists in Puławy. And of the squares with colour was to begin, as well as the code it was one of the major events of the Polish avant-garde type. The rest was governed by chance triggered by the of that time, attended by widely popular and appreciated source of the random variable. This could be coin flipping artists, such as Tadeusz Kantor. Winiarski was a revelation. (e.g. heads – black, tails – white) or die casting, as well He created a new way of thinking and creation in painting. as tables of random numbers, series of numbers from Before the artist undertook his studies in fine arts, he stock exchange tables, etc. The author’s concept initially graduated from the Faculty of Precision Mechanical Engi- based on a plane, resembling a chequerboard, with certain neering, Warsaw University of Technology, and mathematics squares black and the rest white, filled with colour in