11-13 June 2010

Main venue: the shopping arcade "Sfera", ul. Mostowa 5
Accompanying events will be held at: Galeria Bielska BWA,
ul. 3 Maja 11

The aim of the Art Fair - to be held for the first time in the city of Bielsko-Biała, which lies away from Poland's principal cultural centres - is to exhibit paintings by young and middle generation Polish artists. The organisation of the fair rests with Galeria Bielska BWA - regarded as one of Poland's most interesting public galleries focused on contemporary art with a particularly strong emphasis on painting. The gallery boasts a 48-year-old tradition of the "Bielska Jesień" Painting Biennial - a competition for young artists, held under the auspices of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The "Sphere of Art" Fair will promote paintings by 16 artists who participated in the 39th Painting Biennial "Bielska Jesień 2009" and received top marks from the jury.

The Art Fair is a new, innovative way for the gallery to promote the work by painters who have participated in the biennial. It is also aimed at boosting interest in painting and collecting art works within the local business, academic and cultural circles.

The Art Fair is co-run by Galeria Sfera - the largest shopping and entertainment centre in Bielsko-Biała which often opens its doors to prestigious cultural events, such as the international jazz festival "Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa". The three-day fair will be held in the central arcade of Galeria Sfera which will accommodate 16 stalls, each designed by a different participating artist and containing their work on sale. There will be a total of 150 paintings on sale. "All the selected paintings have been created by emerging and mid-career artists. The purchase of each such work will be a great investment with a relatively small financial outlay required. A large majority of these paintings were created  by young-generation Polish artists. However, the list also includes recognised artists representing a whole range of artistic experience, including those active on Western markets. Each of these artists, representing a rich gamut of styles, is original", emphasises Agata Smalcerz, the head of  Galeria Bielska BWA.

The participants of the Art Fair are: Beata Ewa Białecka (Gdańsk), Izabela Cieszko (Pszczyna), Andrzej Cisowski (Targowo), Eliza Danowska (Warszawa), Dariusz Gierdal (Ustroń), Bartłomiej Jarmoliński (Łódź), Karolina Komorowska (Lublin), Jerzy Kosałka (Wrocław), Piotr Kossakowski (Czeladź), Kamil Kuskowski (Łódź), Aleksander Laszenko (Warszawa), Paweł Matyszewski (Knyszyn), Izabela Ołdak (Węgierska Górka, Amsterdam), Paulina Poczęta (Chruszczobród), Małgorzata Rozenau (Bielsko-Biała), Malwina Rzonca (Kraków).

At the same time Galeria Bielska BWA will run a number of associating events, including an exhibition of works by Bożena Kowalska and a discussion panel under the slogan: "Is it worthwhile to invest in contemporary art?", with the participation of art experts, critics, historian and collectors, as well as gallery workers. The exhibition will focus on a selection of art works from the collection of the outstanding art critic and historian Bożena Kowalska.

Works belonging to the trend of geometric abstraction by Henryk Stażewski, Wojciech Fangor, Ryszard Winiarski oraz Getulio Alviani, Georg-Karl Pfahler, and other artists are the core of this collection, which also includes figurative works by such artists as Jerzy Nowosielski and Tadeusz Brzozowski. Complementing the exhibition are works by artists characterised by unique and recognisable style, including Roman Opałka, Stanisław Fijałkowski and Günther Uecker. Bożena Kowalska will show nearly 130 works from her 300-piece collection.

The Art Fair will also accompany the 6th Festival of Partner Cities "Let's Meet Each Other" which is held annually in Bielsko-Biała with the participation of representatives of local governments, cultural institutions and businesses from 17 partner cities from all over the world.  The festival is organised by the Municipality of Bielsko-Biała. The Fair is a part of a joint Polish-Norwegian project "Locomotive - Cluster Development Strategy" run by Galeria Bielska BWA in partnership with the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bielsko-Biała and Oslo Teknopol. The "Locomotive" project is co-financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the Municipality of Bielsko-Biała. The Fair is co-financed by the Marshal's Office of the Province of Silesia.

Organiser: Galeria Bielska BWA, ul. 3 Maja 11
Co-organisers: Municipality of Bielsko-Biała, Galeria Sfera, ul. Mostowa 5
Stalls:
11­-13 June, Galeria Sfera, ul. Mostowa 5 (9.00 am to 9.00 pm, 11- 12 June; 10.00 am to 8.00 pm, 13 June)
Art Fair launch:
Galeria Sfera, ul. Mostowa, 9.30 pm, 11 June (entrance on showing an invitation)
Accompanying events - Galeria Bielska BWA, ul. 3 Maja 11:
"From the collection of Bożena Kowalska" - an exhibition associating the Art Fair (11 June - 4 July 2010)
Discussion panel  "Is it worthwhile to invest in contemporary art?"  (noon  to 2.45, 12 June)

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Schedule:

The "Sphere of Art" Fair,  Bielsko-Biała, 11-13 June 2010
Galeria Bielska BWA, ul. 3 Maja 11, www.galeriabielska.pl
Galeria Sfera, ul. Mostowa 5, www.sfera.com.pl

Friday, 11 June 2010

9.00-21.00 Galeria Sfera
The "Sphere of Art" Fair, stall exhibitions 
Noon -1.00 pm "Kandulski" cafe, Galeria Sfera, kawiarnia Kandulski
Press conference

6.00 pm Galeria Bielska BWA
"From the collection of Bożena Kowalska" -  preview (admission on presenting an invitation)

8.00 pm - 9.00 pm - "From the collection of Bożena Kowalska" (free admission)

9.30 pm-11.30 pm Galeria Sfera
Official launch of Art Fair (admission on presenting an invitation):
- welcome guests, Fair launch
- The Beata Przybytek Trio play jazz standards - concert
- Art Fair tour, art sale
- meetings with artists participating in the Art Fair
- banquet

Saturday, 12 June 2010

9.00 am - 9.00 pm Galeria Sfera
The "Sphere of Art" Fair  - art sale

11.00 am - 11.45 am Galeria Bielska BWA
UKS presentation (The Young Artists Society), Oslo, Norwegia

noon -2.45 pm Galeria Bielska BWA
Discussion panel  "Is investing in contemporary art worthwhile?"

3.00 pm - 5.00 pm Galeria Sfera
"Piecework"  - a para-theatrical event performed by actors of the "Kontrast" Art Centre

3.30 pm - 5.00 pm Galeria Sfera
Art Fair tour for guest representatives of the 6^th Festival of Partner Cities "Let's meet each other"

8.00 pm Galeria Bielska BWA
Art Fair participants meeting (admission on presenting an invitation)

Sunday, 13 June 2010

10.00 am - 8.00 pm Galeria Sfera
The "Sphere of Art" Fair  - art sale

1.00 pm - 3.00 pm Galeria Sfera
Children's workshop (admission free)

„From the collection of Bożena Kowalska", Galeria Bielska BWA, 11 June - 4 July 2010, accompanying exhibition, open daily from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.

The Art Fair coincides with the 6^th Festival of Partner Cities "Let's meet each other".