POKÓJ / Michał Slezkin Jacek Świdziński. Galeria Bielska BWA 2024

“At the exhibition, the comic book “Festival”, divided into its first parts in a comic-collage composition revealing its sources, will be juxtaposed with the game “State”, which was started 77 years ago by Bohdan Slezkin with his high school friends (including Jerzy Siewierski, Leszek Szymański and Tadeusz Strumff). In 1947, rebellious teenagers invented something like an RPG game involving diplomatic relations between imaginary countries. Each player cut out five-centimeter figures from cardboard that represented various typical citizens of their countries (politicians, uniformed officers, spies, criminals, elegant ones). ladies, etc.) Players met in their apartments, placed figures and then exchanged diplomatic notes. Sometimes the game ended with a bathroom being occupied by foreign troops or a spy being secretly installed among the books on the shelf. The game, of course, reflected the political realities of the time not only that. It is a record of eccentric passion / boredom / fears / aspirations / artistic temperaments / sense of humor / changing ideas and much, much more. Bohdan Slezkin played until the 1970s, but Michał makes sure that “State” continues to develop. We were introduced to Michał by the curator of the exhibition, Agata Smalcerz, who wants to show our perspectives on history, our workshop and miniature games with politics and history, present in both “State” and “Festival”. At least that’s how I understand this exhibition!” Jacek Świdziński