Nancy Rourke in Poland

Damian Paweł Rzeźniczak, my ASL interpreter.

Photo credit by the Silesian Museum.
Damian, interpreting for Nancy

The first time I met Damian, at the Silesian Museum, he was a very pleasant person. He was with me every day the entire time, interpreting in American Sign Language. I was very impressed with his professional work. He was excellent. I enjoyed every minute of my time in Poland. I am so thankful to have him to be part of my work. Thank you, Damian.

Photo credit by Magda at the Silesian Museum.

What a beautiful book that was given to me by the Silesian Museum! This book is about the Silesian Museum and its paintings, art and other valuable items that are displayed in its own space.

This book also has English version.

What a beautiful artwork made by a Deaf Polish artist, Dariusz Lisinski. Visit his website at www.lissart.eu

The first day at the Silesian Museum.

These pictures were taken by Michal Justycki.

Doris Fedrid and Rose Steinberg Feld 3 ft by 5 ft
Mona Lisa Deaf 3 ft by 5 ft
Second Wave of Milan 4 ft by 7 ft

from Klang Radio Station (podcast interview in Chorzów)

“Ear on the Museum” is a new series of auditions in collaboration with Muzeum Śląskie in Katowice.Today at 19:00 we invite you to listen to a conversation about the social situation of deaf people and the exhibition, which is being established in the Silesian Museum as part of the project “Głusza”. The opening of the exhibition is planned for April 2022Studio in Chorzów visited by: Dagmara Stanosz (curator and educator), Michał Justycki (curator and deaf educator), Nancy Rourke (deaf art transporter from the United States), Irena Piecha ( Polish translator m igowo on phonical), Damian Rze źniczak (Deaf translator from American Sign Language into Polish sign language).Hosted by: Veronica Stencel and Paulina Pikiewicz. After the broadcast the podcast will be available on platforms:Spotify Silesian Museum – https://tiny.pl/9dlw7
Spotify Radio Klang – https://tiny.pl/9dlww
Mixcloud Radio Klang – https://www.mixcloud.com/radioklang/

at the Silesian Museum

(copied and pasted from the Silesian Museum newsletter)

The collection of the Silesian Museum includes paintings by Nancy Rourke – the precursor of the Deaf Art trend – socially engaged, critical art, boldly taking up topics related to the situation of the Deaf around the world. The artistically mature works with a strong message: “Deaf Mona Lisa”, “The Second Wave of Milan” and “Doris Fedrid and Rose Steinberg” were unpacked and handed over to the museum’s collection – the first in Europe to have the artist’s works in its collection. The paintings will be on display at the “Głusza” exhibition. Many thanks to the people who were wholeheartedly involved in the implementation of Nancy’s visit to Poland – Michał Burdziński, Magda Ciez, Anna Harazmus (Haanna Ha), Kinga Hołda-Justycka, Michał Justycki, Irena Piecha, Damian Rzeźniczak.photo: Anna Harazmus. (my presentation in the auditorium on December 2, 2021, I explained to the audience that I sit on a chair, because the video camera stood still without a person. I explained my art clothes with a pair of jean splatted with red, yellow and blue paints and black t-shirt as I wear everyday painting. I wanted them to see this is what I wear.) The photo with the preservation crew, wore white gloves. They checked for cleanliness and no damages as well as an actual painting made by Nancy Rourke.

Day 4

This morning I left Katowice to Zabrze, for a tour at the Guido coal mine. It was an incredible place to visit. The mine was built in 1855 where coal were cut. The underground museum is 320m beneath the surface and then the second level we went, is 170m that makes it the deepest visitor mine in Europe. Total 1607.61 feet deep. Almost one third of a mile deep down. There is a pub which is 320m down, called the Pump Hall. Miners made their own beer, Guido, that is unpasteurized and has a cloudy look and tasted like IPA. I had żurek soup and smalec which is pork fat, you spread it on bread like butter and top it with polish pickle and a pint of Guido beer. Amazingly good! (Fig. 1-15)

Fig. 1-15

Day 3

This was the day for the panel discussion about Deaf art for the webinarium, transmitted through Facebook in the auditorium.

(from the Silesian Museum newsletter) Deaf Art is a core of critical art, addressing issues related to audism, Deaf discrimination, and exclusion. Our guest will be Nancy Rourke – precursor of the stream who, together with the curators of the exhibition “Deaf” (Dagmara Stanosz, Michał Justycki, Agnieszka Kolodziejczak, Michał Burdziński), will talk about art, identity, communication and culture of the Deaf. (Fig. 1-2)

https://www.facebook.com/muzeumslaskie/videos/1057347621785084/

In our webinar, we talked a bit about the Sign Union flag. In my presentation, I talked about Arnaud Balard and the Sign Union flag. I gave the flag to Michal Justycki.

I had a presentation in the auditorium and met people ftom Poland and The Czech Republic. (Fig. 3-4)

Fig. 3-4
Photo credit by Kinga Holda-Justycka
with Dagmara Stanosz at Placek Restaurant

We went to a Deaf owned restaurant, Placek. I had pierogi for dinner. This is Dagmara Stanosz that I worked with and Michal Justycki at the Silesian Museum.

  • Day 2

    There was a beautiful sunrise. Here I am standing behind the big building at the Silesian Museum is where my paintings will be located at. (Fig. 1-4)

    (Fig. 1-4)

    Michael Burdziński, the museum manager gave a tour for us at the museum. An art teacher, Iva from Prague, The Czech Republic came to join with us. The first tour was to focus on the art history made by famous polish artists. (Fig. 5-10)

    (Fig. 5-10)

    Later in the afternoon, there was a video interview about Deaf art in the Lukasz Glab, Room E, I inside the old miners building at the Silesian Museum. I discussed about how I got into art when I was very little and on up to when I was in college. I mentioned about how I got into De’VIA (Deaf View/Image Art) and into the second wave of De’VIA. (Fig. 11-12)

    Fig. 11-12

    We went to an old cafe in Katowice and had dinner. There was a Christmas Market. (Fig. 13-20)



    Day 1

    Today was an incredible day. It was a milestone. What a huge honour to be part of the Silesian Museum in Katowice, Poland. This is the day I will always remember.

    I started with a delicious breakfast and a cup of cappuccino. Michal Justychi came by to pick me up and we brought the paintings to the museum. It was such a great feeling to see that my paintings found a good home.

    First and most special moments was to sit and talk with the museum director, Marie in her office. We talked for an hour long about my paintings, art style, Deaf culture and about the museum’s goal for the Deaf Art exhibit. The people with me at the meeting were Marie, Dagmara, Michal, Damian and Irena. (Fig. 1)

    (Fig. 1) Marie right, Dagmara left center, and Michal left at Marie’s office

    We went to the auditorium and unpacked the three paintings (fig. 2-9)

    (Fig. 2-9)

    There were agreement forms to sign. (Fig. 10)

    (Fig. 10) signing papers

    After lunch, we drove to Chorzów and had an hour long recording an audition podcast interview at Radio Klang that will broadcast this week to Poland and to the world. There were four of us, Damian Paweł Rzeźniczak, a Deaf ASL and PJM interpreter, Irena, a voice and PJM interpreter, Michal and myself in one room. And another room with Dagmara and two hosts who did the interviewing with us. (Fig. 11-16)

    (Fig. 11-16) at the radio station.

    Getting ready for Poland

    from Museum Slaskie in Katowice, Poland.

    see link: https://muzeumslaskie.pl/pl/aktualnosci/webinarium-poswiecone-tematowi-deaf-artu-2-12-2021/?fbclid=IwAR0hJY0oFqdlZGF-kQ6wGXwugBNaRnLRFjKhXZk8eoG66ikImYiQTSqPpgI
    On December 2 at 12.00 we invite you to a webinar on the topic of Deaf Art – a lesson in art, which has its roots in the work of Deaf artists in the United States. Deaf art. It is a critical art type, it addresses topics related to biodiversity, audism, discrimination of Deaf and exclusion. Our guest will be Nancy Rourke – a precursor of the culture, one of the most recognizable American artists. Together with the curators of the exhibition “Głusza” (Dagmara Stanosz, Michał Justycki, Agnieszka Kolodziejczak, Michał Burdziński) we will talk about art, identity, communication and culture of the Deaf. The broadcast will be held on Facebook. At 17.00 we invite you to the Silesian Museum for a live meeting with Nancy Rourke. Registration is required. EMAIL TO: stanosz@muzeumslaskie. pl as soon as possible. We give the limit to 100 people. There is a vacancy of 30 people.

    November 26, 2021

    This is a new blog called nancyrourkeinpoland.wordpress.com that will be a daily journal of my trip going to Poland. I will do my best to write and share pictures each day.

    It is a huge honour for me, to visit and stay at the Silesian Museum (Muzeum Slaskie) in Katowice, Poland. As you can see, the images of the colourful background shown above, with the two staff from the Silesian Museum, they are announcing that there will be a webinar that will take place in December 2, 2021, to watch my presentation. To register, send an email to stanosz@muzeumslaskie. pl