Instytut Historii Sztuki <Posen> [Hrsg.]: Artium Quaestiones (3.1986)

GRUPA ARTYSTÓW PLASTYKÓW „ŚWIT’

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alization of an informal community created on the basis of the ’’Decorative
School”.
In accordance with its origin, ’’Siwilt” formulated its aims 'as of an ’’Artists
Society” and a patronizing institution, rather than of an artistic group to be defi-
ned according to artistic trends. Firstly, it was to propagate good ant among the
Poznan public. Secondly, by accentuating their wertes, it was to ensure favourable
selling conditions for its members. Thirdly, it was to integrate the artistic com-
munity through the newily established club and social meetings. Such a formula-
tion of the programme defined the structure and the way of functioning of ”Swit”.
The characteristic feature of the group was a high degree of formalization of in-
tra-group life, the rules of which were strictly regulated by the group’s statutes.
The following board members were elected each year: the chairman, the vicechair-
man, the secretary, the manager and the treasurer. Enrollment rules were based
mainly on private bonds. During ‘the several years of the Group’s existence, it wais
joined — temporarily or permanently — by eight artists: Stanisław Siestrzencewicz,
Roger Sławski, Kazimierz Zyberk-Pla'ter, Władysław Lam, Władysław Sanok, Jan
Mroziński, and Karol Zyndram Ma'szkowski.
The dominant feature in the six year’ activity of ”Swit” was its multifunctio-
nality. Two kinds iotf functions -can foe identified: programmatic ones, being an at-
tempt at realization of the formulated programme of the group — i. e. exhibitional,
professional and social functions; and ,,non-programmatic” ones ■— creative and
expansive — protective functions, presently discovered by the studies of historical
data.
In the first period off the group's existence moist of the aicltiivrilty was connected
with the exhibitional function of ”Swit” as an institution propagating art. In two
years excluding the grup’is own exhibitions', nine expositions on various themes,
not connected visibly with each other, were organized in ’’Swit’s” Pavillion in the
Zoological Garden. The only element to link the exhibitions was to be the 'Crite-
rion of ’’level”. The exhibitions were to serve the main aim of the group raising the
level of the aesthetic education of the public. An overview devoted to this kind of
activity of ”Swit” shows this kind of reception and social functioning, desired by the
artists. The 'Cdilterian of the ’’level” was also adapted with regard to group exhibi-
tions, which suited the intentions of the artists themselves, wlho in (their program-
me had put primary stress on this very aspect, completely Ignoring any attempt
at defining themselves in terms of poetics.
Tlhe professional function of ”Swit” was primarily connected with the work
of the so-called ’’Sales Salon” of the group. Directed against ’’Kunsthändlers”, it
was from the very beginning, oriented towards mercantile activity. After a. year’s
functioning, the ”Shob” ceased to exist as, together with Pautsch and Sonnewand
leaving the group, both posts of the salesman and the main caterer of ’’goods”
(i. e. Pautsch) became vacanlt.
The social function of ’’Swat”, defined by Ithe artists ais an attempt ;at insti-
tutionalizing of the social life of the artistic circles and centering it around the
group — by means of the Club, was not success in the long run (the Club existed
for one year only), its realization had a fragmentary and short — term character.
What is meant in the case of the creative function is the functioning of the
artistic orientation of the group on the contemporary artistic scene is its place
among other orientations existing at the time. In the first period 1921 -22, the
trends towards which new group members were directed were formism, cubism,
expressionism and futurism (i.e. so-called ’’new trends”). Later, the ’’new trends”
are no longer a point of reference; what is left is a general negative qualification