A dance with history. “Villa Polonez” exhibition at the Polish Institute of Paris.

Slow but inevitable change expressed by the metaphorical meaning of a dance. The polonaise, a stately historical dance, has evolved from an artistic form to a national pride symbol, identity and continuity of the Polish culture. “Villa Polonez” exhibition at the Polish Institute of Paris alludes to exactly that – evoking the rhythm of incessant continuity of history, combining duration and transitoriness. Celebration of the past and confrontation of it with the uncertain present. 

Organised as part of the Paris Photo and Photo Days, the exhibit features the latest Polish photography of architectural and symbolic spaces, previously – constituting the epitome of splendour, prestige, and elitism, currently – undergoing deep transformations, both physical and metaphorical. As an audience, we are given an opportunity to dive into not only a documentation of the change but also reflect on its inevitability. Do these spaces preserve the familiar order or become a caricature in which the past becomes a fantasy of imaginary power? What even is heritage today? And what is its importance in the context of rapid social, political, and architectural changes? The exhibition immerses us in a dialogue between the past and the present, emphasising the notion of heritage as something more than mere nostalgia. Within such a vivid meditation on transcience and continuity, “Villa Polonez” moves to its own rhythm, inviting anyone willing to dance with history, whereby perfection doesn’t matter but the motion itself. 

The broad programme of the “Villa Polonez” exhibition includes a guided tour with the curator, meetings with artists, brunch, and a presentation of photobooks from Polish publishers. 

The exhibition is taking place from 8th November to 15th December at the Polish Institute of Paris.

participating artists: Jacek Fota, Weronika Gęsicka, Hubert Humka, kinoMANUAL / Aga Jarząb and Maciek Bączyk, Julia Klewaniec, Michał Łuczak, Anna Orłowska, Monika Orpik, Witek Orski, Michał Sita, and Ada Zielińska.

Curator: Paweł Bąkowski / Gallery of the Culture and Art Centre in Wrocław

Organised by the Polish Institute in Paris, Culture and Art Centre in Wrocław, and FOTO-GEN Gallery.

Coordinators: Natalia Barbarska / Polish Institute of Paris, Olga Krzywiecka / Gallery of the Culture and Art Centre in Wrocław

Partners: Paris Photo 2024, Photo Days in Paris

Media Partner: Contemporary Lynx Magazine