Royal residences as spaces for contemporary artistic and social experimentation

Royal residences as spaces for contemporary artistic and social experimentation

The Royal Łazienki Museum in Warsaw would like to propose organizing a technical meeting dedicated to the multidimensional social role of royal residences, also in the context of the new ICOM museum definition. We want to reflect on how these historical spaces can simultaneously serve as places open to local community participation, centres for artistic experiments, sources of artistic inspiration, spaces for educational experiences and pro-ecological activities, all while remaining prestigious locations for state and diplomatic meetings. Where and how does the contemporary art and creativity fit within royal residences? We invite presentation to showcase realized or planned projects within the interiors or gardens of residences in the areas such as contemporary art, culture, education, art mediation, music, theatre and more. It is important that these projects strongly emphasize the involvement of contemporary artists or contemporary creative practices. We encourage speakers to share not only their successes but also the challenges and difficulties they have faced, as we believe that exchanging experiences and ideas within our royal communication framework can facilitate the future project planning. We invite all interested participants who have implemented such projects, especially managements stuff and those from departments responsible for education, marketing, collections, art, music, and theatre. The Royal Łazienki is a unique place. During the time of the King, it was conceived as a summer residence - a space accessible to different social groups, where the arts related to theatre, opera, music, and art collections intertwined. It was intended to be the first public museum. During the meeting in the Royal Łazienki gardens, participants will have the opportunity to view the sculpture Sfera con Sfera by Arnaldo Pomodoro (1979–80), a summer pavilion designed in a participatory project by students from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology, as well as a new project serving as an introduction to organizing contemporary art exhibitions at the Royal Łazienki Museum. A project showcasing in the main hall of the Palace on the Isle (which was destroyed during World War II and still awaits a new chapter) works by international artist Nicolas Grospierre, created in the royal gardens of the Royal Łazienki. The meeting will also include visits to other Polish royal residences - members of ARRE: the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, and the Wawel Royal Castle in Kraków (additional program). At these locations, we will also explore the stories of contemporary art in historic royal residences.