The exhibition "Dark everywhere, deaf everywhere...", which had its opening at the Polish Library in Paris, presents profiles of eminent Poles buried in the Les Champeaux cemetery in Montmorency - a special place for both Polish and French history.

The protagonists of the exhibition, including such figures as Adam Mickiewicz, Cyprian Kamil Norwid, Olga Boznańska and Bronisław Piłsudski, are presented with the widest possible audience in mind: in French, English and Polish. The exhibition consists of sixteen charts showing not only the achievements and influence of Polish émigrés on French culture, but also anecdotes and curiosities that introduce the lives and works of these exceptional figures.

As the acting director of the Polonica Institute, Sylwia Tryc, emphasises, the exhibition was created with the audience in mind, who may not be familiar with Polish history. It presents events and figures in a friendly and inspiring way, and the exhibition's curator, Ms Aleksandra Rodziewicz, draws attention to the role of Les Champeaux cemetery itself, whose role and uniqueness inspired the exhibition's narrative.

Each panel begins with the history of the gravestone to move on to the story of the life of the figure whose memory it commemorates.

The exhibition also presents lesser-known but fascinating characters, such as Henryk Babiński 'Alibaba' - author of an excellent cookbook, Edward Pożerski Pomian, and Franciszka Granier, philosopher and socialist activist. It is they, although less famous, who enrich the picture of the history of Polish emigration in France.

The binding thread of the exhibition is the work of Adam Mickiewicz, hence the title referring to the second part of "Dziady". It is also worth mentioning the 'Polonica in Minecraft' project, thanks to which virtual copies of objects connected with Poland were created in the game world. On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition, the space in the game was enriched with motifs related to the history of Polish emigration and the figures buried in the Montmorency cemetery.

We warmly encourage you to take part in this event, which is not only a tribute to Polish heritage in France, but also a way of bringing the history of the Poles to a wider audience.

CATALOG
h ttps://baza.pol onika.pl/pl/obiekty/cmentarz-champeaux-w-montmorency

EXHIBITION VENUES:
from 1.03.2025 to 31.05.2025 - Montmorency Municipality
from 12.11.2024 to 31.01.2025 - Polish Library in Paris

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:
Polonics in Minecraft and film of the Ironman
h ttps://www.yout ube.com/watch?v=1ZxPWDtndTk

Interview on Polish Radio about the exhibition
h ttps://www.pols kieradio.pl/399/7979/Artykul/3444982,ciemno-wszedzie-glucho-wszedzie-%E2%80%93-wystawa-instytutu-polonika-w-paryzu

Film footage
h ttps://baza.pol onika.pl/uploads/articles/170201/cmentarz_montmorency_v2_XqGN6G.mp4

CREATORS OF THE EXHIBITION:
Exhibition authors: Dr. Magdalena Gutowska, Aleksandra Rodziewicz, Sylwia Tryc
Texts of the web folder: Piotr Ługowski, Jan Rybiński, Dr Joanna Nikel, Dr Rafał Waszczuk, Aleksandra Rodziewicz
Coordination: Aleksandra Rodziewicz
Language editing of the Polish version: Nina Kozera
Translation and language editing of the French version: Anna Krajewska, Romain Su
Translation and language editing of the English version: Bartosz Sowinski
Design: ONTO Studio
Realisation: Perfect Events

PARTNER
Polish Library in Paris

MEDIA PATRONS
Polish Radio for Foreign Countries
TVP Polonia
Renovations and Monuments