The exhibition is the fourth edition of a series of graphic exhibitions, initiated by the display Multitude in Unity. Polish woodcut after 1900 (2009), continued by the exhibition Multitude in Unity. Rotogravure techniques in Poland after 1900 (2012), and later by the exhibition Multitude in Unity. Lithography and flat printing techniques in Poland after 1900 (2015). A series of exhibitions was included to the program of the International Print Triennial in Cracow.

 

The purpose of the exhibition is to illustrate considerable changes that have taken place in contemporary graphic art, starting from the middle of the 20th century until 2018. The starting point of the exhibition is two printing techniques – offset and serigraphy, which path to gain the status of graphic art was rather unconventional. A relatively brief history of computer graphic art and activities in the scope of digital technology is supposed to bring closer the dynamic process of changes taking place in contemporary art, dominated by the digital community. The exhibition also features a highly relevant issue of graphic presentations on the border of various forms of art. This subject is depicted by works of art made by artists who enter the dialogue with space – graphic objects and installations, frequently designed with the use of digital technologies. Presentation of these phenomena is focused on showing experimental activities, utilizing interpenetration of various media and visual art techniques. The exhibition features works of art made in unique bases, frequently unconventional, unique solutions of artists. Between the multitudes of independent techniques, we can notice prints made in mixed and artists’ own techniques, indicating the riches of creative invention. 

Presentation of this wide variety of objects reflects the world of contemporary graphic art that changes at a fast pace and undergoes constant transformations. It depicts the diversity of artistic attitudes in understanding the graphic artwork and approach to graphic art. It also shows that the process of discovering and shaping new graphic areas is an open process. 

 

Groups of graphic artworks, encompassing select topics, show the most important trends during seventy years of the history of contemporary graphic techniques, including:

 

The multitude in the title, in terms of form-style, topic and technique, consists of works of art on loan from prestigious museum and library collections, artworks on loan from contemporary graphic artists, and works from the own collection of the District Museum in Bydgoszcz. The exhibition features works made by about 100 outstanding artists, representing the most prominent graphic art communities, artists of different generations, including Jonasz Stern, Henryk Stażewski, Jan Berdyszak, Lucjan Mianowski, Andrzej Lachowicz, Izabella Gustowska, Jerzy Treliński, Jan Tarasin, Jan Pamuła, Jacek W. Papla, Adam Romaniuk, Bogdan Przybyliński, Mirosław Pawłowski, Grzegorz Banaszkiewicz, Grzegorz Nowicki, Waldemar Marszałek, Sławomir Ćwiek, Piotr Smolnicki, Andrzej Bednarczyk, Małgorzata Warlikowska, Cezary Paszkowski, Andrzej Węcławski, Elżbieta Gawlikowska-Łabęcka, Waldemar Węgrzyn, Dorota Optułowicz, Krzysztof Kula, Ewa Gordon, Agata Stępień, Marcin Surzycki, Joanna Janowska-Augustyn, Stefan Kaczmarek, Błażej Ostoja-Lniski, Maciej Kurak, Marta Kubiak, Mateusz Dąbrowski, Judyta Bernaś, Kamil Zaleski, Marta Pogorzelec, Rafał Kochański, Katarzyna Dziuba, Ksawery Kaliski, Dorota Nowak, Paweł Kwiatkowski, Ksawery Kaliski, Dariusz Gajewski, and Krzysztof Balcerowiak. 

 

The exhibition will be accompanied by a scientific session (October 18-19, 2018) dedicated to the topic in the title, which purpose will be popularization of the subject depicted in the exhibition. Artists, historians and art critics have been invited to participate in the session.

 

Starting from the third edition of the exhibition in 2015, the concept of the graphic series was expanded. The patron of our institution – Leon Wyczółkowski, the pioneer of graphic art in Poland, became the patron of the award funded by the Bydgoszcz Museum, presented to an artist – participant of the Main Exhibition of the International Print Triennial. According to our idea, the award to the laureate is a monographic exhibition with a catalog, organized in the Museum.