The third stage of archive digitization is complete!
We are pleased to announce that we have completed the implementation of the Digital Archive of the Maria Pinińska-Bereś and Jerzy Bereś Foundation – stage 3, co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – “Digital Culture” program. Stage 1 was implemented in 2021, and stage 2 in 2023. The website that you can visit was created as part of the stage 1.
This year’s task was to digitize and make available another, third part of the artistic archive of Jerzy Bereś (1930-2012) and Maria Pinińska-Bereś (1931-1999), some of the most important Polish artists of the second half of the 20th century, associated with the Kraków avant-garde and belonging to the legendary Kraków Group 2. The year 2024 clearly confirmed the growing importance of both artists, not only for Polish art. Maria Pinińska-Bereś’s works were exhibited at an individual exhibition at the National Museum in Wrocław, which is currently presented at the museum in Leipzig, and will then travel to the museums in The Hague and Lucerne. In December, Jerzy Bereś’s multi-month exhibition, which broke attendance records, ended at Cricoteka. In November, his famous Romantic Manifestation was repeated at the Main Square in Kraków.
The resources planned for digitization and sharing in Stage 3 consisted of of 1,095 photographs documenting sculptures and artistic actions of both artists, as well as exhibitions in which they participated.
The selected resource is part of a larger archive, which includes diverse objects related to the artistic work of both artists and their artworks: drawings, photographic materials (e.g. archival reproductions of sculptures, documentation of artistic actions, exhibitions, plein-airs, scenes from cultural life) and films, manuscripts (e.g. artistic texts, books, lectures), notes, private and official correspondence, press clippings and others. In addition, as part of the Digital Archive of the Maria Pininska-Bereś and Jerzy Bereś Foundation stage 2 and stage 3 task, English versions of richly illustrated timelines were made available, presenting the life and work of both artists, as well as over 150 authorial and critical texts, both in Polish and English.
The main partners of the task were: Zofia Rydet Foundation, Centre for the Documentation of the Art of Tadeusz Kantor CRICOTEKA and the MuFo Museum of Photography in Kraków. We would like to thank them very much for their cooperation!
The archive is managed by the Maria Pinińska-Bereś and Jerzy Bereś Foundation, established by members of the artists’ family. Operating non-profit, the Foundation promotes, researches and provides conservation care for the legacy of Jerzy Bereś and Maria Pinińska-Bereś, also managing a large group of sculptures by both artists.
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special purpose fund.
