“Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” exhibition and panel discussion: Photo Gallery
Stanisława Sandecka-Nowicka was a talented graphic artist and designer and the first female professor of architecture in the history of the United States. Maciej (Matthew) Nowicki collaborated – despite his young age – with renowned architects on prestigious projects whose implementation was interrupted by his tragic death. Their story is a fascinating tale of creative passion, their life together, and the possibilities and limitations of the turbulent beginning of the 20th century. The dramatic history of their homeland, their lived experiences, but also a great hope for a better future laid the foundation for an innovative curriculum and architectural designs that changed the history of the profession. By combining the latest building developments with great respect for the local context, their readiness for dialogue and understanding of others, as well as their enormous talent, they created a humanistic modernism that opened the contemporary understanding of architecture to previously unknown realms.
Photo ©Courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith
January 15 – January 26, 2024
Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki exhibition at United Nations Headquarters
Polish Cultural Institute New York was part of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” exhibition curated by National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning in Warsaw, featuring two prominent figures in the history of American and Polish architecture, Maciej (Matthew) Nowicki and Stanisława Sandecka-Nowicka.
Thank you for joining us at the opening and the curatorial walk-throughs!
Photo ©Courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith
Honorable speakers – Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations, Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski; H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as Stefan Nowicki, Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki’s grandson and Ms. Natalie Cady, great-granddaughter – contributed opening remarks at the opening reception on January 15th.
Friday, January 19, 2024
The Exhibit Curatorial Walkthrough was held at United Nations Headquarters.
Tuesday, 1/16, 6–8pm
Panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki – Polish Architects in the US
at the Center for Architecture
Photo ©Courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith
The panel program participants discussed Nowicki’s work in the context of post-war reconstruction, architecture as a tool for building a new identity, and international cooperation between major architects and designers.
Speakers:
Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer, Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki
Burak Erdim, Associate Professor of Architecture and Coordinator, Graduate Concentration in the History and Theory of Architecture, North Carolina State University
Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” exhibit
Łukasz Stanek, Professor of Architectural History, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Department of History, University of Michigan; Author, Architecture in Global Socialism: Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War
Photo ©Courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith
The Exhibit was Organized by:
National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning
Under the patronage of Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York
Co-organized by:
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations in New York
Programming Partner:
Polish Cultural Institute New York
Collaborative input and promotion:
Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York
Scientific curator: prof. Bolesław Stelmach Ph. D. Arch.
Curator: Kacper Kępiński
Exhibition design: Only If Architecture (Karolina Częczek)
Visual identity: Katarzyna Nestorowicz
Editing: Urszula Drabińska
Translations: Natalia Raczkowska
Acknowledgments: Peter Nowicki, Dominika Stecyk, Izabela Gola, Agata Lupoměská, Izabela Iwanicka-Dzierżawska, Piotr Kibort, Ewa Perlińska-Kobierzyńska
Co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki exhibition’s opening at United Nations Headquarters on January 15 2024, photo credits, ©Photo and video courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith:
- Speaker: Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations, Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski contributing opening remarks.
- On the left: H.E. Mr Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly On the right: H.E. Mr Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN in New York
- Speaker: H.E. Mr Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly giving opening remarks.
- In the center: H.E. Mr Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly
- Speaker: Ms Natalie Cady, great-granddaughter of Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki contributing opening remarks.
- Speaker: Stefan Nowicki, Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki’s grandson, contributing opening remarks.
The Exhibit Curatorial Walkthrough was held at United Nations Headquarters
- Photo #3: Agata Gabriela Lupoměská, director of Polish Cultural Institute New York with other guests of the curatorial walkthrough.
- Photo #4: Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity and Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer of “Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki” moderator of the panel.
Panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki in response to the exhibit at Center for Architecture on Jan 16 2024, photo credits, ©Photo and video courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith:
- Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer of “Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki” moderator introducing the panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki in response to the exhibit at Center for Architecture on Jan 16 2024
- Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” giving lecture on Nowickis’ legacy and projects.
- At the center: Łukasz Stanek, Professor of Architectural History, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Department of History, University of Michigan, giving lecture on his book, “Architecture in Global Socialism: Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War”
- Burak Erdim, Associate Professor of Architecture and Coordinator, Graduate Concentration in the History and Theory of Architecture, North Carolina State University, giving a lecture on the legacy of Nowickis’ in the context of humanist modernism in Raleigh and American South
- From the left: Burak Erdim, Associate Professor of Architecture and Coordinator, Graduate Concentration in the History and Theory of Architecture, North Carolina State University, Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer of “Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki” moderator of the panelŁukasz Stanek, Professor of Architectural History, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Department of History, University of Michigan; Author of “Architecture in Global Socialism: Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War
- Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, the Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture
- Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” giving lecture on Nowickis’ legacy and projects.
- Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” giving lecture on Nowickis’ legacy and projects.
- Łukasz Stanek, Professor of Architectural History, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Department of History, University of Michigan; Author of “Architecture in Global Socialism: Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War”
- Audience at the panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki in response to the exhibit at Center for Architecture on Jan 16 2024
- Audience at the panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki in response to the exhibit at Center for Architecture on Jan 16 2024
- During the Q&A session, former student of Stanislawa Sandecka-Nowicka in the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania recalled academic strengths, teaching style and personal memories of Stanisława.
- From the left: Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity and Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer of “Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki” moderator of the panel.
- From the left: Izabela Gola, visual arts curator at Polish Cultural Institute New York Karolina Częczek, Principal, Only If; Exhibition Designer of “Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki” moderator of the panel. Łukasz Stanek, Professor of Architectural History, A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Department of History, University of Michigan; Author of “Architecture in Global Socialism: Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War”Kacper Kępiński, Head of Department of External Projects and Exhibitions, National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the curator of the “Humanist modernity. Maciej and Stanisława Nowicki” exhibit Burak Erdim, Associate Professor of Architecture and Coordinator, Graduate Concentration in the History and Theory of Architecture, North Carolina State University
- From the left: Izabela Gola, visual arts curator at Polish Cultural Institute New York and
- Katie Mullen, Center for Architecture, Director of Exhibitions and Programs, Director of Archtober
- Panel discussion: Humanist Modernity: Stanisława and Maciej Nowicki in response to the exhibit at Center for Architecture on Jan 16, 2024. ©Photo and video courtesy of Andrew Fremont-Smith
