10 years have passed...

This year, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the “Christmas Salon of ZPAP Krakow District,” which has been held for a decade at the Palace of Arts, home to the Society of Friends of Fine Arts in Krakow.

When, in December 2014, the then-president of TPSP, Zbigniew Kazimierz Witek, promised us recurring hospitality within the venerable walls of the institution he led, no one at the time imagined that we would so quickly find ourselves marking such a significant milestone...

Our current collaboration with TPSP is by no means new—it dates back to the 1920s, over 100 years ago, with the first exhibition referred to as a “Salon” taking place in 1938. Over the years, this collaboration has seen various phases—both amicable and tumultuous, as is often the case in artistic circles. Ultimately, however, wisdom, friendship, and a shared understanding of common goals prevailed, leading to peace and success. The result is the promotion and popularization of art, and in the case of our “Salons,” the art of professional, local artists united within the oldest creative association in Europe.

The “Christmas Salon of ZPAP Krakow District” consistently enjoys great popularity and is eagerly anticipated by artists. Each year sees significant participation—this year, 286 creators representing diverse disciplines of fine art submitted their works, ranging from painting, graphic arts, and drawing to sculpture, paper art, collage, and multimedia projects. While it is difficult to say whether the Salon offers an objective review of Krakow’s visual art scene, given its vastness, it undoubtedly represents the city’s largest group exhibition. It provides an authentic snapshot of what inspires artists, their guiding principles, the values they uphold, and the contemporary art trends that continue to influence creative pursuits.

As I have written many times before, the “Christmas Salons” hold another important significance. As their name implies, they take place during the Christmas season—a unique time for everyone. This period encourages special feelings and behaviors, tied not only to festive traditions and rituals but also to the values they inspire: community, acceptance, empathy, and closeness. These are essential for every individual, regardless of personal religious, social, or political views. Deeply rooted in our culture, the spirit of the holidays is directly reflected in our exhibition, which brings together numerous artists who feel a strong need to be united. They thereby emphasize their identity, ideological belonging, and the unbreakable bonds that connect them with fellow creators.

The “Christmas Salon of ZPAP Krakow District” is, by design, an unfashionable concept in today’s world—a fully democratic exhibition. It lacks the currently ubiquitous and mandatory panel of so-called “experts,” individuals who select participating artists based on specified criteria. The openness of participation stems from the century-old tradition of organizing such exhibitions, which we strive to honor and continue. We believe that every participant has the right to express themselves and is responsible for the quality of their work. Supporters and opponents of such exhibitions are as numerous as stars in the sky, but it is widely understood that controversies arising from various presentations are inevitable and inherently part of the landscape of exhibitions and the broader field of art criticism.

Henry James, the American-British writer, critic, and literary theorist, wrote in The Middle Years: “We work in the dark—we do what we can—we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art.” Collective exhibitions reflect precisely this: they are portraits of passion and madness, exploration, discovery, and wandering, of confidence and doubt, excellence and mediocrity. This, both in art and in life, is what is most valuable and profoundly human—not absolute perfection modeled after imposed standards, but doubt and humility, as well as the infinite weaving through the meanders of experience, awareness, and intuition. Such exhibitions, like our “Salon,” are a rich showcase of individuality and subjective ideas expressed through visual effects, each finding as many supporters as detractors. After all, as American author Rainbow Rowell once said, “Art doesn’t have to be pretty; it has to make you feel something.”

And so, I wish each visitor to the 10th Jubilee “Christmas Salon of ZPAP Krakow District” deep, internal emotions and experiences. I also extend my gratitude to the current Board of TPSP in Krakow and to the Director of the Palace of Arts, Mr. Przemysław Witek, who, with unwavering care and attention, continue to support Krakow’s artists...

Kraków, November 2024

Joanna Warchoł

President of ZPAP Krakow District