School and university students will be able to visit our exhibitions for a symbolic fee this summer, on presentation of a valid identity card.

We currently have six exhibitions on display, which you can read more about in the Exhibitions section.

There has not been an exhibition like this in Silesia for decades. Nearly 40 sculptures by the most outstanding Polish artists in one place. This is undoubtedly the most important artistic event of the season. The Figuration – Transformations exhibition will be made up of beautiful objects at their best. The works of several dozen legends of Polish sculpture will appear in Rybnik for the first time! We can be proud of it – this unique exhibition is the result of a fruitful partnership between the River Art Gallery and the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko.

The exhibition presents figuration as one of the most legible and at the same time universal languages of art – telling the story of man, his body, emotions, condition and history. To be enthralled, no specialist knowledge is necessary – just openness and a moment’s attention. The sculptures on display are made in marble, wood, bronze or metal – works deeply rooted in tradition, but carrying a surprisingly contemporary message.

Among the authors, we find true icons: Władysław Hasior, Xawery Dunikowski, Maria Pinińska-Bereś, Adam Myjak, Antoni Rząza, Gustaw Zemła, Barbara Zbrożyna, Barbara Falender, Stanisław Kulon, Jacek Waltosia and many others. It is a rarity to have so many recognised names in a joint exhibition, in one space.

The exhibition Figuration – Transformations was created thanks to close cooperation with the Centre for Polish Sculpture in Orońsko, an institution of national and international scope that has been collecting and promoting the most important phenomena in Polish sculpture for more than 40 years. The selection of works that have found their way to the Rzeczna Gallery is the essence of this oeuvre – from the inter-war period, through the post-war classics, to the art of the late 20th century. The strength of this exhibition lies in its form, meaning and accessibility. For art lovers – a must-see of the season. For every viewer – a unique opportunity to encounter sculpture that has truly spoken for decades.

The exhibition is curated by Dr Jarosław Pajek.

* Figuration – an artistic trend that refers to representations of recognisable forms – primarily the human body. Figurative art tells the story of man – his emotions, relationships, experiences – through the outline of a silhouette, gesture, face or figure. Not always in a realistic way – often symbolic, transformed or even grotesque.

The exhibition will feature works by the authors, listed alphabetically below:

Agata Agatowska
Andrzej Bednarczyk
Bronisław Chromy
Jan Cykowski
Xawery Dunikowski
Barbara Falender
Jerzy Grygorczuk
Władysław Hasior
Krystyn Jarnuszkiewicz
Józef Kaliszan
Mieczysław Kałużny
Alfons Karny
Jan Kucz
Stanisław Kulon
Konstanty Laszczka
Tadeusz Łodziana
Jerzy Mizera
Adam Myjak
Sławoj Ostrowski
Antoni Janusz Pastwa
Andrzej Pawłowski
Maria Pinińska-Bereś
Adam Procki
Antoni Rząsa
Stanisław Słonina
Wanda Sokołowska-Majerska
Ludmiła Stehnova
Wacław Szymanowski
Janusz Tkaczuk
Jacek Waltoś
Jan Stanisław Wojciechowski
Antonina Wysocka-Jonczak
August Zamoyski
Barbara Zbrożyna
Kazimierz Gustaw Zemła

ACCESSIBILITY:

Rzeczna Art Gallery invites you to the following events taking place in November:

8.11, 5:30 PM – Art workshop “Here’s Art!” dedicated to children aged 3 to 6 years old
9.11, 11:30 AM – “ArchiKids” – an art and architecture class for kids aged 7-10 years old
9.11, 1:30 PM – “Young Architects’ Club” – an art and architecture class for youth aged 11-15 years old
21.11, 10 AM – “Hello Gallery!” – an art workshop dedicated to little ones up to 2 years old,
22.11, 5 PM – Opening of the exhibition „Before Midjourney” by Zdzisław Beksiński, Katarzyna Fober, Anna Kloc – entry with invitation
23.11, 11:30 AM – “ArchiKids” – an art and architecture class for kids aged 7-10 years old
23.11, 1:30 PM – “Young Architects’ Club” – an art and architecture class for youth aged 11-15 years old
29.11, 5:30 PM – art workshop “Here’s Art!” dedicated to children aged 3 to 6 years old

We inform you that from 5th to 20th of November the Gallery will be closed to visitors due to an exhibition change.

Tickets are available for purchase through the biletyna.pl site or at the Gallery.

The Youth Council of the Gallery invites youth aged 16 and up to participate in the Open Call “Lady Midday and other haunters”.

Set free your imagination and test your talents in the exciting art contest celebrating Slavic folklore! This is your chance to immerse yourself in the mysterious myths, stories, and tales about beliefs stemming from our native culture.

The goals of the competition are:

– development of artistic interests and skills among young people;
– fostering interest in cultural heritage related to local beliefs and legends;
– cultivating a creative attitude among youth.

Technique of the works:

Flat – painting or printmaking – without the use of loose materials (including glitter), which easily detach from the canvas and are prone to damage during transport.

Format of the works:

– painting – A2 to A1;
– printmaking – A4 to A2.

We’re waiting for your works until 16th November 2024. They should be submitted digitally. A photo or a scan of the work in a .jpg or .png file should be sent by email: mrgrybnik@gmail.com.

The mailed submission should include the following information:

The opening of the exhibition of the qualified works will take place on 30th November in the Rzeczna Art Gallery.

Any inquiries can be directed by phone at: 32 44 07 132, 608 861 033 or by email at: kontakt.galeria@tzr.rybnik.pl, mrgrybnik@gmail.com.

We warmly invite you to participate in the competition!

Have you ever wondered how film and photography studios light their productions so that they look beautiful and interesting? What to do to achieve a similar result?

We will uncover those secrets during a workshop aimed at children aged 10 – 14 years old. We will reflect on what is light and its color, question what types of light there are, and what possibilities they offer. We will take a close look at photo albums of Alex Webb and Chris Niedenthal, but also at… stills from Netflix films! We will build a little portrait studio, in which participants will take pictures of each other using professional photography equipment, learning some tricks along the way! The portraits will be displayed at an exhibition and will be available for attendees to take home after the exhibition is closed. The workshop will be led by Aga and Karol Blazy.

The workshop is free and will take place on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024, at the Rzeczna Art Gallery. The workshop is a part of 21. Rybnik Foto Festival, which was co-founded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the National Centre for Culture’s program: Culture – Interventions. 2024 Edition.

For the child to take part in the workshop:

 – the child must be no younger than 10 years old, and no older than 14 years old;

 – the child’s guardian must familiarize themselves with the regulations and submit a fully completed registration form.

There is an admission limit of 15 participants. The order of sign-up is taken into consideration. Sign-up forms may be submitted to the Gallery in person or through physical mail.

EDUCATORS:

Aga Blazy – a resident of Rybnik, she’s a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and a student of the Institute of Art in Denpasar. After returning to Poland, she has been involved in art education for over 10 years. She is the founder of the Nido Foundation and co-author of the Here’s Art initiative (art workshops for children, from infants to school-age kids). She collaborates with many cultural institutions in the region (libraries, cultural centers, museums, galleries, theaters). For the past 8 years, she has been actively photographing as part of the duo – Karol and Aga.

Karol Blazy – a resident of Rybnik, experienced photographer and freelancer, constantly taking on new challenges in reportage, portrait, and commercial photography. For several years, he has been exploring film lighting techniques and successfully applying them in his projects. Driven by his passion for photography, he has worked in many extraordinary places around the world (e.g., a photography project at the Green School in Bali). He is the originator of the photography duo and marriage – Karol and Aga.

We invite you to take part in the following events:

– 5.09 and 19.09: “Hello Gallery!” – a workshop dedicated to little ones from 6 months to 2 years old, along with their caretakers;

– 14.09 and 28.09: “Here’s Art” – a workshop dedicated to children aged 3 to 6 years old and their caretakers;

– 14.09: an organizational meeting for adults interested in an illustrated note taking class – sketchnoting; 

– 17.09: training for teachers led by the Polish Academy of Sciences PAN (Food Educators project);

– 18.09: a conference of Rybnik’s City Council – Rybnik in the direction of a green future;

– 20-22.09: the events of 21.Rybnik Foto Festival – slideshow presentations, presentation of the My Fyrtel 2024 project, presentation of Urban legends, a guide of the exhibitions with audio description, a workshop for children titled Movie lighting in photography, a curator’s guide of the exhibitions with a Polish Sign Language (PJM) interpreter.

A detailed program may be found on the website:

www.festiwal.rybnik.pl

We sincerely invite you to visit our new exhibitions:

– A thirst for water – Bart Krężołek

– I like it when it’s dark – Katarzyna Szwarc

– Factory of illusions – an archive of Danuta Rago’s photogtraphy

– When you look into my eyes twice, I will part my lips or clench my fists – photography from IPN’s archive

Tickets are available to purchase at the Gallery’s register or through the biletyna.pl website.