Friends for the POLIN Museum. Charity auction for the Association Jewish Historical Institute in Poland In Jewish philanthropy, the number 18 is of particular importance. It symbolizes life and happiness — traditionally, donations on the occasion of important events are 18 or multiples of it. So many works were collected at the charity art auction “Friends for the POLIN Museum” on the occasion of the tenth birthday of this institution, which the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute in Poland is the initiator and organizer. Participants were invited to participate in the auction who, over the course of ten years of POLIN's operation, have built a circle of friends united by the ideas that guide the functioning of the Museum — freedom, equality and openness. Restoring the memory of the history of Polish Jews, countering the manifestations of anti-Semitism, discrimination and exclusion, building mutual understanding and respect. One of the works put up for auction is the work “7/10/23. IN ETERNAL MEMORY OF ALL 1139 LIVES LOST TO HAMAS” by Paweł Kowalewski, a unique work created especially for the auction in the technique of lenticular printing on dibond. More about work: Paweł Kowalewski experimented in art all his life, using various technologies and techniques — from 3D printing through photography, performance to installation. Always the key thing for him is to convey ideas, thoughts. The chosen techniques serve only to accurately and adequately convey or illustrate a specific idea. The medium has in his art the function of a tool that helps in the transmission of thoughts. The artist himself says of the work, which was created specifically for the auction for the POLIN Museum: “This work is a tribute to the 1,139 victims killed in a brutal, cynical and thoughtful way by Hamas terrorists. Imagine the sudden disappearance of 1139 people who only recently enjoyed life — whether they were in a park, maybe at a concert... These victims — vulnerable, ordinary citizens of Israel, whose lives were taken — deserve tribute. Paweł Kowalewski (born 1958) Painter. Member of the most important painting group of the 1980s Gruppa. In figurative images, he combines political messages with a dose of strong irony and appeals to the everyday life of citizens. The auction will take place on October 16, 2024 at 19:00