Ryszard Ziarkiewicz has been recently dismissed from the Museum in Koszalin. Below we publish his letter to Indeks 73 concerning the circumstances of this decision. In our opinion the incident is another argument in the debate on the necessity of reforms in the management and financial administration of public cultural institutions. Public institutions cannot depend only on individual civil servants' decisions, as their motives are not always determined by the public interest.

For some time the media have been describing the conflict between the employees and the managing director of the Museum, Jerzy Kalicki, relating to diverse visions of the museum. Interviewed by Gazeta Wyborcza about his attitude towards contemporary art popularised by the museum employees, Kalicki stated that there was no room for such art in the museum and that he would rather present older, traditional artworks, even if they were not masterpieces, than buy works painted 'yesterday'.

Does this mean that the managing director of the Museum in Kalisz depreciates efforts of the people who popularise contemporary art and who consider it an important value in the public debate, in the process of shaping pro-social attitudes and sensitivity?

Indeks 73 is going to monitor this case and inform about its further development. Artists are planning protests demonstrating solidarity with Ziarkiewicz.

Sign the open letter initiated by Piotr Bernatowicz,Rafał Jakubowicz, Katarzyna Kozyra, Paweł Leszkowicz and Ewa Mikina:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/odwolanie_RZ/



To all it may concern,

I am sorry to inform that today I was realeased from my post in the Museum in Koszalin, in which for three years I have worked as the Head of the Contemporary Art Department and have been in charge of the 'Osieki Collection'. During the last three years I managed to edit a monographic publication concerning the Osieki open air collection, which received the award of the Marshal of West Pomeranian Voivodeship in the competition “The Museum Event of the Year” in 2009; I prepared the programme of a new permanent exhibition of the Osieki collection, which was supposed to be opened at the end of 2010; I organised the first exhibition of contemporary art composed of the works by Koszalin artists, which was successfully presented in Szczecin; I also initiated cooperation with the National Museum and the Zachęta Association in Szczecin.

The official reason for my dissmissal is inability to work in a team and to comply with the managing director's orders. I presume, however, that the real reason is hostility towards contemporary art and culture, which has been declared by Jerzy Kalicki on many occassions. This hostility is growing and turning into obsession (manifested in the last interview with director Kalicki in Gazeta Wyborcza, dated 24-25 October 2009). It is obvious the war declared against contemporary culture in Koszalin is also the war against the Osieki collection – the most valuable museum collection in the Pomeranian region. The aim of this war is degradation of the national heritage, by keeping it under the director's control.

I'm asking you for help. Without your support the issue will be solved in a 'Koszalin way', which is in the civil servants' offices. Yet, culture in general and the museum in particular does not belong to civil servants and directors. The open letter to the President of Koszalin can work to the advantage of diversity in culture and lead to democratisation in culture management. The success in the province of Poland can be more important than the success in the capital.

Ryszard Ziarkiewicz

29.10.2009, Koszalin