2012 Night of Museums at MOCAK

On Friday 18 May 2012 MOCAK the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow will launch the 9th Night of Museums in Krakow. At 7 pm the official opening will take place, combined with the opening of the international exhibition Sport in Art.

Sport in Art

Sport in Art after History in Art, the second exhibition in the series which shows artists’ take on the issues that matter in people's everyday lives.  It is an international exhibition which presents over forty artists and aims to present the central theme as widely as possible – in terms of both the interpretation of the content and the range of media used. We are showing classical painters, film and object makers as well as artists who put their lives at risk in confrontation with extreme sports.
To emphasise the fusion of the world of sport and the world of art, the MOCAK Night of Museums will take place under the slogan: To the Museum! Ready, steady, go!

Consequently, all participants are encouraged to follow the prevailing dress code on the Night: sporty gear! All those who on 18 May turn up kitted out accordingly – and, best of all, wearing sports suits – will receive surprise gifts.

MOCAK III Collection

While sport will provide the prevailing ambiance of the Night of Museums at MOCAK, visitors will also have the opportunity to view exhibitions with quite a different flavour. This will be due to the unveiling of MOCAK III Collection on the night, enhanced by numerous photographic works. The exhibition will present works by artists such as Heimo Zobernig, Vlado Martek, Andrzej Dłużniewski, Marek Chlanda or Jerzy Bereś.

Sergey Bratkov When Men Are at War

What’s more, in the Galleries Alfa and Beta the exhibition on show will be When Men Are at War by the Ukrainian artist Sergey Bratkov, organised as part of this year’s Photomonth in Krakow. The Museum will present, among others, his photographs from the series Kids, which reveal the reality of the premature growing up of the contemporary young generation.

Communal painting a mural and a performance

Interactive events involving the public are also planned for the Night of Museums. The artist Justyna Koeke will organise in the MOCAK space her performance Showing Muscles, with rather unusual body-builders flexing their muscles in front of works of art.  Artur Wabik, a Polish artist from the neighbouring district of Podgórze, and the author of numerous installations in city space will – with audience participation – make a mural in the Museum’s courtyard. All those willing to lend a hand, under the artist’s guiding eye, welcome! The Museum will provide the materials, and the painting of the mural will start after the official opening of the Night of Museums and the opening of the exhibition Sport in Art.

Bookstore Prize Draw

Throughout the Night of Museums, special discounts will be available at MOCAK Bookstore: 25%  discount for all of Museum’s own publications and 5% discount for purchases over 150 zloty. All visitors who make a purchase on the night will be given a coupon with a question about the newly opened exhibition. After midnight, a prize draw will take place amongst all those who have answered the question correctly.