About
Together with its project partner, Museum im Steintor Anklam (Museum of Local History in the Anklam Gate), the Lentz Villa is implementing a project titled Szczecin in Paintings from the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Property of Private Szczecin Collectors. The project is a cross-border cultural offer co-financed from the Small Projects Fund (KPF/FMP) as part of the Interreg VI A Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / Brandenburg / Poland Cooperation Programme 2021-2027.The project aims to encourage individual cultural tourism in the borderland by creating a joint Polish-German cross-border cultural offer promoting stronger relations between the citizens of both countries and cooperation between cultural institutions in Euroregion Pomerania.
The project enriches the Polish-German cross-border cultural events scene through a number of joint undertakings aiming to increase the attractiveness and accessibility of cultural events in the borderland for both the inhabitants of Pomerania and tourists.
The following joint undertakings have been scheduled:
1. Opening the first exhibition of paintings depicting the Polish-German city of Szczecin in connection with the river Oder and the Port. The works come from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were created by German artists from the borderland. The paintings belong to the private Polish collectors collaborating within an association: Szczecin Club of Collectors – Devotees of Painting and Historical Art. 38 paintings will be presented in the historical interiors of the Lentz Villa’s first floor. By presenting episodes from Szczecin’s history and the output of artists associated with this region, the exhibition reveals the shared cross-border cultural heritage to both local inhabitants and guests. The major significance of this event lies in shaping regional and historical awareness across the region’s communities – local residents and tourists alike, which is a crucial aim in the age of growing globalisation. The exhibition has both Polish- and German-language captions and boards, thus eliminating the language barrier.
2. An Open Day will be held at the Lentz villa on 28th May 2024 for all the interested residents of the borderland area covered by this project, regardless of age (children and youth, adults, senior citizens). The Open Day is a chance to admire the Villa’s fine interiors, join a guided tour of the Villa, and see the current exhibitions, including an exhibition of paintings depicting late 19th-/early 20th-century Szczecin in connection with the river Oder and the Port. There will also be a lecture on the art of painting and a piano recital.
3. The project’s last event is the exhibition finissage (closing ceremony) to be held at the Lentz Villa on 27th July 2024, coupled with seminars. The finissage is an opportunity to meet the exhibition curator, who will talk about the presented paintings and sum up the whole project. The invited guests and the audience will have a chance to meet, discuss the presented paintings, and celebrate together. The event offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen the ties between the institutions involved and thank everyone for participation. As a celebration of artistic work, the event facilitates close contact with the paintings and their authors. It will be accompanied by a grand luncheon evoking the atmosphere of similar parties held by the family of the Villa’s first owner, August Lentz. A string quintet will play a live concert of works by Polish and German composers. This will be followed by a guided tour of the Villa’s historical interiors and a presentation of richly ornamented attire from August Lentz’s time. Another element of the finissage is a seminar with lectures by Polish and German participants. The finissage will be accompanied by the publication of an exhibition booklet comprising photographs of works taken in the Lentz Villa’s interiors and brief biographical notes on the painters whose works are presented. This catalogue (in Polish and German) will have a circulation of 500 copies and will be distributed free of charge during the finissage as well as to all visitors to the Villa interested in Szczecin paintings of the 19th and 20th centuries. The catalogue will first be presented on the last day of the exhibition. This is due to the fact that part of the works by German artists will only be delivered and photographed in the course of the exhibition.
Project implementation dates: 15th April 2024 – 31st August 2024
Results projection:
Intensifying cooperation between cultural institutions in the area of promoting the Polish-German joint cultural offer by organising a vernissage, seminar, and open day at the Lentz Villa.
Funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): EUR 26,556
Own funds: EUR 6,639
Total eligible costs (lump sum): EUR 33,195
Link to the exhibition info in English:
willa-lentza.pl/exhibitions/27-Szczecin in Paintings from the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries Property of Private Szczecin Collectors. 26th April 27th July 2024
Museum im Steintor Anklam (Museum of Local History in the Anklam Gate): museum-im-steintor.de/index.html