The Artistic Council 2023

ORIGINATOR

Omenaa Mensah

I have been passionate about art, architecture, and design for as long as I can remember, and historical buildings, in particular, seem to have been one of my greatest weaknesses. Sculpture and spatial sculpture hold a special place in my heart, and I find their creative process incredibly fascinating. While I was working on making the Grand Charity Auction happen and founding the OmenaArt Foundation at the same time, I had one goal in mind: to attract as many people as possible to the world of fine art, who, like me, would be enchanted by its beauty and want to surround themselves with what it has to offer. It was of paramount importance that our auction featured works by the best Polish and international artists, as well as esteemed young creators. That is why I invited some of the most outstanding personalities who have been building the art market in Poland for years now. They are the ones whose knowledge and experience served as the best recommendation to start this exceptional collaboration. It fills me with pride that such authorities sit on the Artistic Council of the Grand Charity Auction. It is through their tremendous commitment and extensive contacts, we can be the first in Poland to acquire outstanding works by top creators for the auction, which will be presented here on the following pages of this catalogue.

Each of the Council members represents a different area of the art market but it is their wisdom and expertise that makes them the perfect people for this unique job. The Chair of the Artistic Council, Hanna Wróblewska, a long-time director of the Zachęta National Gallery of Art, possesses the coveted skill of predicting new trends and directions in art. She has vast experience in curatorial and exhibition work, working with artists, and collaborating with art institutions in Poland and around the world. She has also been appointed as the curator of the Grand Charity Auction exhibition at the Orangery of the Wilanów Palace. The space housing the exhibition has been designed and arranged by Boris Kudlička.

Iwona Büchner-Grzesiak is the president of the Polswiss Art Auction House, one of the leaders in the Polish art market. For years, she has combined the tradition of presenting the highest quality auction objects while introducing new sales trends. She is known for her highly valued advisory services in creating the largest private and institutional collections. Kama Zboralska, artistic director of the Warsaw Art Fair and initiator of the Kompas Sztuki (Art Compass) and Kompas Młodej Sztuki (Young Art Compass) ranking, represents another member of the Council who knows the art market inside out. As an independent journalist, author of books on art, and exhibition curator, she collaborates with artists and multiple galleries in Poland. She is also responsible for promoting a great number of artists who have gained a lot of recognition in the contemporary art market. Another renowned member of the Council is Rafał Kamecki, the president of Artinfo.pl, the only independent portal analysing the art market, gathering data on auction transactions and the most interesting events in the world of art and serving as the best source of knowledge about the current art market in Poland. With the participation of experienced experts, Artinfo.pl also serves as a professional platform representing clients at art auctions in Poland and abroad.

What do the Council members think of the new trends in art and the Grand Charity Auction? What criteria do they take into account while selecting the artists? Read on to find out.

Omenaa Mensah