The relevance of Maria Pinińska-Bereś and Jerzy Bereś for the local cultural heritage. Contribution to the debate on the Prądnik Museum concept

The 2021 Programme Study of the Prądnik Museum sums up the discussion on the presentation of the heritage of northern Cracow. The world-renown artists Jerzy Bereś and Maria Pinińska-Bereś who lived and created their art in this part of the city are not exposed within the public space, and most likely for this reason they have not been exposed in the Study, either. Meanwhile, without any institutional involvement, residents undertake artistic actions close to the performances of the Bereśes. The Sledge Protest conducted in the summer reminds of the Landscape Annexation and The Banner of Pinińska-Bereś; social garden establishing reminds of the Living Pink; the transfer of the Prądnik River water is reminiscent of the Praying for Rain; while neighbourly bonds echo the Kite-Letter and Letters Dispatched with Forces of Nature. Owing to these unconscious similarities the Pinińska-Bereś’s artistic output seems worthy of being included in the proposed Museum. Furthermore, three additional proposals for the Prądnik Museum are discussed in the paper: they take into consideration the oeuvre of the Bereśes, residents’ social and artistic activity, as well as the demands of New Museology (rooting in the local community and focus on education and participation). A performance museum may be a reaction to the lack of collection, allowing to benefit from the artistic output of the community and the artists presently living in Cracow, including Bettina Bereś’s reenactment. A biographical museum may provide an opportunity for storytelling and identity investigation, as well as bonding. The inspiration for the latter may be derived from the Yayoi Kusama Museum: it was her oeuvre that was used for the visual identification in her native city of Matsumoto. An ecomuseum, in turn, allows to incorporate the preserved atelier of the Bereśes, the Prądnik River, as well as the post-industrial heritage. Adding this potential to the conclusions drawn from the Study, in the northern part of Cracow a new city landmark can indeed be created.