Something I Like
Main building
01.12.2024 - 09.03.2025
The exhibition Something I Like is looking back on the three decades of the museum operations within a broader spectrum of the activities of the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology. The focus is on our institution’s museum function in its strict and fundamental sense as, being a museum, what we do is gather, research, and make accessible to the public various collections acquired over decades.
While this exhibition may seem typical of our institution – each milestone anniversary has provided an opportunity to showcase the Manggha’s steadily growing collection – it stands apart due to the concept behind this year’s selection of objects.
Something I Like are literally ‘key words’ for the this year’s anniversary exhibition.
Over the years, the Manggha Museum has drawn together a great number of exceptional individuals around its institutional personality, people who have influenced its activity and programme. Some have worked with the Manggha on exhibitions and events as contributors at large while others – no less importantly – have participated in its day-to-day life and efforts as staff members.
Art and museum curators, educators, an inventory clerk, artists, editors and designers, architects, directors, archivists, public figures and private individuals – these are the people that we have asked to select an item or a group of objects from the Manggha Museum’s collection and write a brief commentary explaining their choice.
Are their choices surprising? They are and they aren’t.
This is because the Manggha Museum’s own collection is a very eclectic mix, encompassing contemporary and historic art, both traditional and modern, from Japan, Asia, Europe, and Poland. With more than 3,000 objects, the choice was neither obvious nor predictable.
The individuals we invited primarily chose objects that evoked strong personal memories of past exhibitions, selecting pieces that they particularly liked.
This participatory anniversary exhibition is a wonderful present for the Manggha Museum on its 30th birthday.
While this exhibition may seem typical of our institution – each milestone anniversary has provided an opportunity to showcase the Manggha’s steadily growing collection – it stands apart due to the concept behind this year’s selection of objects.
Something I Like are literally ‘key words’ for the this year’s anniversary exhibition.
Over the years, the Manggha Museum has drawn together a great number of exceptional individuals around its institutional personality, people who have influenced its activity and programme. Some have worked with the Manggha on exhibitions and events as contributors at large while others – no less importantly – have participated in its day-to-day life and efforts as staff members.
Art and museum curators, educators, an inventory clerk, artists, editors and designers, architects, directors, archivists, public figures and private individuals – these are the people that we have asked to select an item or a group of objects from the Manggha Museum’s collection and write a brief commentary explaining their choice.
Are their choices surprising? They are and they aren’t.
This is because the Manggha Museum’s own collection is a very eclectic mix, encompassing contemporary and historic art, both traditional and modern, from Japan, Asia, Europe, and Poland. With more than 3,000 objects, the choice was neither obvious nor predictable.
The individuals we invited primarily chose objects that evoked strong personal memories of past exhibitions, selecting pieces that they particularly liked.
This participatory anniversary exhibition is a wonderful present for the Manggha Museum on its 30th birthday.
Katarzyna Nowak
Director
Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology