Art is risk. From the very beginning, when I decided to produce the "Krzysztof Penderecki - Itinerarium" Exhibition, I was aware of both a great risk and unusual adventure at the same time.
The word - itinerarium - means in Latin a plan of travel or an account of a journey. In a children's game known since the time immemorial, it can also mean a collection of secret signs leading us to the destination during an expedition. However, when we reach our goal, we find that it is not the most important. It is rather the voyage itself and experiencing the journey which are essential. Musical sketches by Krzysztof Penderecki provide entries to an unknown, huge architectural structure whose mystery can be learned only by brave insight.
When we started the preparations to this exhibition less than a year ago, we were aware that only a person equipped with a child's imagination would be able to meet the challenge presented by such an unusual and expressive record of the musical path. The original idea and design prepared by Anna Baranowa, Zbigniew Baran and Piotr Nawara entailed this kind of undertaking. It does not lead us to any destination, because the destination is the beginning of the voyage at the same time. However, it fully equips us to set off for a musical and spiritual voyage. We will be able to depart for the voyage again only if we have enough power of imagination.
Each exhibition has its story, and the one of "Itinerarium" is very special. However, looking back, we should recall only what has been noble and elevating. During our work on this exhibition, we were aware of exploring the areas which have hardly been studied. A fascinating aspect of our exploration was a possibility to cooperate with the composer himself who made available his private collection to us, as well as the sketches deposited at the Schott Publishing House in Mainz. The works we have selected have been meticulously documented. The Bunkier Sztuki Gallery boasts presently the richest photographic documentation of the artist's sketches in the world. Together with the Modulus Publishing House, we have decided to publish an exclusive catalogue which would become a unique guidebook of the labyrinth of Krzysztof Penderecki's works. The path has been traced. Welcome to a magic journey.
Krzysztof Głuchowski
Director of the Bunkier Sztuki Gallery
