Exhibitions

The exhibition titled CHOICE is the first project to paint such a comprehensive picture of the shared experience and artistic output of Gina and Marek Szwarc, Jankiel Adler, and Henryk Gotlib – outstanding representatives of twentieth-century Jewish avant-garde. The life paths of these four artists, their explorations of spirituality, identity, and aesthetics, as well as their biographies marked by the émigré experience all weave a unique story of the power of culture, artistic bravery, and ability to build identity extending beyond the boundaries of states or eras. 

The project carries particular social and educational value: it argues that certain choices pertaining to religion, culture, and artistic activity could be perceived as a response to the dynamic changes in early twentieth-century Europe. The discussion of migrations, the diaspora experience, and decisions made by artists in terms of their identity helps contemporary audiences grasp the universal process of searching for one’s place in the modern world. 

The artists’ biographies have a strong transcultural element, which allows the exhibition to become an important tool of cultural diplomacy, strengthening relations between Jewish communities in Poland and France and fostering intercultural dialogue in a broader perspective. 

The exhibition has been officially recognised under the ‘Saison Pologne–France 2027 / Sezon Francja–Polska 2027’ programme organised by the French Institute in Warsaw. The France–Poland Season is set to take place concomitantly in Poland and France (between 18 February and end of October 2027). This means that Choice will be an official part of the Season’s French schedule and will receive due promotional attention. 

The official partner of the Choice exhibition is Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme in Paris (MAHJ), which has lent us a number of exhibits and in part covered the cost of their conservation. 

Additionally, we are working closely with the grandchildren of Gina and Marek Szwarc – Dominique Torres and Gabriel and Mikael Levin, who have lent artworks and family photos to the exhibition; Gabriel Levin has also penned an essay on the Szwarc family which will be published alongside curatorial texts in the catalogue accompanying the exhibition. 

CHOICE. Gina and Marek Szwarc, Jankiel Adler, Henryk Gotlib  

Temporary exhibition at the E. Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute 

2 April – 22 August 2027  

Curators: Dr Renata Piątkowska, Zuzanna Benesz-Goldfinger  

  
In connection with the upcoming exhibition, the JHI is looking for economic copyright heirs of Henryk Gotlieb’s estate.