Exhibition | #FindTheArtisan – Antoni Małek
About
Antoni Małek was born in Bukowa, a village in the Lublin Province, specifically in the Janów Forest area. Bukowa is situated in the close vicinity of Biłgoraj, which has been a thriving sieve-making centre since the 17th century.
Over time, the town of Biłgoraj and the neighbouring villages became widely known for their sieve craft – the majority of the population made their living by making sieves and selling them. Thus, the sieve makers of Biłgoraj travelled not only around their region and the country, but reached markets as far as distant lands between Russia and Turkey.
The sieve makers developed their own unique culture and contributed to the economic growth of Biłgoraj. However, with the decline in demand for sieves and the diminishing importance of sieve making, the region lost a significant driving force that had shaped its identity for centuries.
Nevertheless, the tradition of sieve making survived among the residents of the neighbouring villages, albeit on a smaller scale. Antoni Małek’s father was a sieve maker himself and passed down the craft to his sons, who continued the family traditions by selling their sieves at fairs.
The exhibition features photos of Antoni Małek as we join him in his search for the most suitable pines, witness the wood processing stage, and observe him making sieves. The photos also showcase the tools he uses in his work.
Photographs: Mateusz Borny
The exhibition is part of #FindTheArtisan project.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as part of the National Centre for Culture programme: EthnoPoland. Edition 2023.
Details
When: 16-31 August (Monday-Friday), 10.00-17.00 (until 19.00 during the festival)
Where: Workshops of Culture, Grodzka 7 – ground floor
Admission free