Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Sztuk Pięknych

Society of Friends of Fine Arts, Muszyna branch

Organised artistic activity in Muszyna goes back to the 1960s. That period coincided with the activities of Muszyna's Black Cat Cabaret and the Around the World Club. The first creative association operated at the turn of the 1970s. It emerged through the initiative Karol Rojny, curator of the PTTK's (Polish Society for Tourist Country-Lovers) Muszyna Regional Museum. That artist promoted our region's attractions by painting on glass Muszyna's architectural relics, landscapes and illustration of legends. The artists of Muszyna undertook their next common projects in the 1990s when they organised a series of exhibitions entitled Salon of the Invited. The exhibition commissioners in that period included Janusz Krzyżanowski, Zbigniew Gruczelak, Barbara Cąplak and Juliusz Jarończyk. The purpose of that exhibition series was to present the works of its author and those of his friends.

Those common efforts led to the reactivation on 22nd January 2002 of the Muszyna branch of the Society of Friends of Fine Arts (TPSP). Seventeen artists from the Muszyna area took part in the inaugural meeting held at the PTTK Regional Museum. The Society's first joint exhibition, entitled Symbolic Flower, was held at the Civitas Christiana gallery in Nowy Sącz. The next major event was the exhibition entitled Carried Away, held at Warsaw's Polish Commonwealth House, the former Landowners' Club. Its originator and chief organiser was the 'Muszyna Almanac'.

In recent years, the Society's activities have been overseen by successive presidents of the Muszyna Branch: Zbigniew Gruczelak and Krystyna Łotek. The joint efforts of the association's members have led to the creation of a Web site highlighting artists belonging to the TPSP and their works. The Muszyna Municipal Library has eagerly made its premises available to the Society, where the artists of Muszyna present their one-man shows and thematic exhibitions at its little gallery. The artists have also exhibited their works at the pump-room of the Milusia spa. In 2005, apart from its exhibition efforts, the TPSP organised a seminar devoted to the question: To what extent does a painting project our inner self and to what extent is it our own creation? The Muszyna museum and the editorial office of the 'Muszyna Almanac' were the co-organisers of the event. A great success was the Concert of Sacred Music featuring Warsaw Chamber Opera soloists, accompanied by a string quartet. It was arranged by Krystyna Łotek, president of the TPSP's Muszyna branch. The concert was held at St Joseph parish church in Muszyna to mark the 35th anniversary of Cardinal Karol Wojtyła's visit to Muszyna. The artists also work together on organising international exhibitions. In 2006 and 2007, the artists of Muszyna took part in Polish-Slovak shows: Wonderful Primitive Art and Colours of the Borderlands.

At present, the activities of the TPSP's Muszyna branch are directed by a Board comprising: Barbara Rucka (President), Anna Gruczelak (Secretary) and Małgorzata Gałuś (Treasurer).

How to get in touch with us?
Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Sztuk Pięknych Oddział w Muszynie
(Society of Friends of Fine Arts, Muszyna branch)
Rynek 31, 33-370 Muszyna
tel. 018-471-4114 www.tpsp.muszyna.pl

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