Comic book museum
Comic books history in Poland consists of few decades of denial that such an art form exists. We're catching up in that regard for years - if it's even possible to catch up. The creation of comic book museum would be a perfect opportunity to learn more about the comic books history and it would have to meet following goals:
- gathering relics in the statutorily specified range
- cataloguing and scientific development of assembled collection
- storaging of collected relics in conditions ensuring their proper conservation and safety and making them available for scientific purposes
- securing and maintenance of collection and (...) other inanimate objects of material culture and nature
- organising permanent and temporary exhibitions
- organising scientific research and expeditions
- providing educational activities
- supporting and coordinating artistic and disseminating culture activity
- making collection available for educational and scientific purposes,
- ensuring the right conditions for exploring and using the collection and information
- conducting publishing activities
While the circle of comic book collectors seems to be bigger and bigger, the number of artists is getting smaller. I often wonder what will happen with collections gathered for years? It would be a pity for them to disappear so I think it’s just the right time to start the creation of The Comic Book Museum. I have a collection that would make a perfect base for the museum and I think I could expect support from the comic book lovers community but finding support in the local government body or business is as much important.
I would like to create the autonomic institution that would showcase Polish and Eastern Bloc (ZSRR, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, NRD, Romania) history of comic books – mostly because of the similarity in our history but also because of similarly suspicious attitude to this form of art.
My collection is already big enough so I don’t have to look for partners in that matter. I have original works of Polish artists in my collection,: Jan Marcin Szancer, Tadeusz Baranowski, H. J. Chmielewski, Szarlota Pawel, Grażyna Dłużniewska, Daniel Grzeszkiewicz, Joanna Karpowicz, Mateusz Skutnik, Tomek Lew Leśniak Piotr Drzewiecki, Sławomir Kiełbus, Michał Śledziński, Karol Kalinowski (KRL), Maciej Mazur, strips from press releases, notebooks, albums and all sorts of toys, games, posters, philatelic values, numismatics, telephone cards, etc.
I’m quite confident with this idea because I’ve already opened one museum. I’m looking for government or business partners that appreciate comic books and see more in this than just infantile fun for children. I can declare my full cooperation and support in growing the collection based on my years-long experience and contacts. I already have the starter kit for the museum: collection that would quickly fill museum’s displays.
After the experience with the Museum of Bedtime Cartoons, I won’t leave my collection just like that because now I know that if officials get something for free, they don’t appreciate and undervalue it. The Comic Book Museum has to provide the safety guarantee for the collection and its growth; it has to have a momentum.
Chosen exhibits from the collection are available to see on the Facebook page.
