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Cautionary tales

Since 18 October, the Zamek Cultural Centre has been hosting the compelling exhibition Illusions of Omnipotence, curated by Aleksandra Paradowska in collaboration with Annika Wienert

In the foreground there is a sculpture of a naked man, in the background on the wall there is, among other things, a pink city map. - grafika artykułu
photograph: Maciej Kaczyński / CK ZAMEK
In the foreground there is a sculpture of a naked man, in the background on the wall there is, among other things, a pink city map.
On four steps an old school desk, behind it a school blackboard. Graphics displayed on the wall in the background.
Photo of several exhibits. In the foreground, an object resembling a game in an open box,
Exhibition hall. In the foreground, a glass display case with porcelain dishes inside. In the background, black and white photos on the walls.
An exhibition hall in semi-darkness. A photograph is displayed on the wall, with stones arranged underneath. A woman stands in the middle of the room.

It comes as no surprise that this exhibition coincides with the 85th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II and is being presented in this very venue, a former imperial residence remodelled for Hitler. The exhibition delves into architecture and everyday life under German occupation in the region known as Wartheland (Land on the Warta, in German). Although the artefacts on view come from a specific historical context, they carry universal themes that resonate as cautionary tales today, especially in a period of growing nationalism. The experience of life in the Warthegau under Nazi rule is conveyed through objects sourced mainly from local museums, many of which are rarely shown and largely unfamiliar to the general public.

The items exhibited in the Castle reflect the contrasting experiences of two distinct communities: the occupiers and the occupied. The narrative focuses on three fundamental aspects of daily life: urban spaces, domestic and office interiors, and the surrounding landscape. In each of these spaces, the German authorities imposed a new order rooted in national socialist ideology and imperial ambitions. Unusually for an exhibition of this kind, Illusions of Omnipotence also includes the perspective of the occupied population, a viewpoint typically omitted in architectural exhibitions.

Marta Smolińska

translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski

Illusions of Omnipotence. Architecture and Everyday Life under German Occupation

Zamek (Castle) Cultural Centre, open from 18 October to 9 February 2025, tickets: PLN 15-20

© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2024