Culture Promotion Office

Project Smile
Project Smile Gallery Project Smile Exibition Gallery Press

Project Smile

Project 'Smile'When, in 1980, I received my first autograph, that of Kalina Jedrusik, I never thought I would have over 1000 of these footprints of human existence – small pieces of art, as I call autographs, because people often draw something near their signature.

Whilst collecting autographs I was also thinking about sharing my joy coming from community and comparing it with the transient keepsake that comes from contact with personalities. The first time I managed to show them was at the Millennial Anniversary of Gdansk, when they were shown at the exhibition entitled “1000 autographs for the Millennial Anniversary”. I observed the people visiting the exhibition and saw their joy and surprise. Generations – grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren all together explaining to each other who was who. Young people did not know older actresses and the older generations had no idea about rock musicians.

After the Gdansk exhibition I began to dream about sharing my passion, about sharing my joy with others. Then I got the idea of collecting autographs joined with the picture of a smile. The first idea was to show "Smile' in children's hospitals, but it soon appeared that smiles drawn by Jordanian Queen, Krzysztof Penderecki or Liza Minelli pleased adults too. What is more important, adding a smile also pleased the people whom I ask to draw them. A smile is possible in any moment, even in the most difficult one. When we look at a child's smile, even if we are in mourning, are ill or in trouble, we smile instinctively.

An autograph itself is calm and quiet like fresh paintings, is “reveals the mortal hand” not only in the poetical dimension but also in the dimension of common, fleeting life. At least it is the visible sign of our having passed by.

Smiles joined with autographs are something to introduce joy into our lives and into hospitals both for children and adults.

When I started collecting smiles I wrote:

A Smile, it is a drop of crystallized Joy
When a child smiles at us we smile, everyone, everywhere!
A child's smile is pure holiness, a gift of life
Not to be sullied by the evil of unhappiness
When giving sick children our warm smiles
We return their own smiles to them
And remind ourselves of the smiles of our own youth!

We received from archdiocese Honiara a smile of archbishop from Solomon islands and his poem:

Smile and the World smiles with you,
Cry and you cry alone.

The exhibition was presented during the Polish Films Festival in Gdynia and in Perpignan, in the Institute of Polish Culture in Budapest and during the Festival of Good Mood in Gdansk. The exhibition was also presented in Chelmno in the Town Hall and smiles were drawn by……
The actress, Ewa Szykulska, drew smiles with children from haematology department of the Medical Academy Hospital in Gdansk and Danuta Stenka drew smiles with children from the Municipal Hospital in Gdynia.

In May the exhibition will be prepared for children on invitation by Polish Embassy in Mexico and in June in the Children's Hospital named after Maria Curie Sklodowska in Romania and in Nowy Tomysl in Poland.

Project Smile aims at encouraging creativity, innovation and adventurous works of art production among the youth. Project Smile is also for any art gallery which offers a platform and window of opportunity to young and upcoming artists to showcase their works - we can work together.

Project Smile will also involve promoting the works of mainly young and upcoming artists. “Smile” is the theme of the project and all works will be designed and crafted cantering around this theme. Smile drawings and impressions could be artistically designed and put on photographs, paper, sportsman’s t-shirts, builders’ tiles, glass, sculpture, plates and clothing.

The main aim of the project is to work for children in hospitals but not only as we all people need an real smile, but also for any art gallery through which young and gifted artists showcase their wealth of talents.

Jackson Michael	Jauch Guenther
Jeffery Darren	Jaworski Marcin
J Miller Thomas	Jedrusik Kalina
J Schleicher Rember	Jelzin Boris
Jabczyński Jerzy	Jendrzejewska Ewa
Jabłońska Danuta	Jendrzejewska Ewa
Jabłoński Roman	Jepsen Maria
Jachimek Tomasz	Jerusalem Siegfried
Jackiewicz Władysław	Jewtuschienko Jewgienij
Jackowska Magdalena	Jeżyna Krzysztof
Jackson Emma	Jędrowska Alicja
Jackson Janet	Jędrych Marcin
Jackson Samuel L	Jędrzejczak Otylia
Jacobi Derek	Jędrzejewski Andrzej
Jacobson Marcin	Jo Sumi
Jacyków Tomasz	Joao Rita
Jagielski Wojciech	Jochen Vogel Hans
Jagodziński Andrzej	Jodłowska Elżbieta
Jagodziński Andrzej	Joel Billy
Jagodziński Andrzej	Johansson Morgan
Jahara Bruno	John Elton
Jakimowski Andrzej	John Mackey Bishop
Jakimowski Andrzej	Johns Bibi
Jakubek Roman	Johnson Don
Jakubiec Bartek	Johnson Solveig
Jakubik Arkadiusz	Johnson Michael
Jakubowska Justyna	Johnsrton Kyle
Jakubowska Justyna	Johnstad Kara
Jakubowski Adam	Jolie Angelina
Jamanowska Todorka	Jon Andrea
Jana Angelika	Jones James Earl
Janacz Anita	Jones Norah
Jancovic Ariana	Jong Erica
Janczar Krzysztof	Joop Wolfgang
Janda Krystyna	Jopek Anna Maria
Janiak Oliver	Jordan Michael
Janiec Marcin	Joseph Kennedy John
Janiska Mirko	Jovanka Dorota
Jank Tomasz	Jovanka Dorota
Jankielewicz Jadwiga	Józefowicz Janusz
Jankowsk Hubert	Juan Vincente
Jankowska Aldona	Judycka Agnieszka
Jankowska Anna	Juegerns Curd
Jankowska Marta	Juenger Ernst
Jankowska-Cieślak Jadwiga	Juergen Hans
Jankowski Ks.Henryk	Juergen Klaus
Jannings Emil	Juergens Udo
Janosch	Juergens Udo
Janowska Alina	Jugo Jenny
Janukowicz-Pobłocka Zofia	Jujka Zbigniew
Januszewska Dorota	Julski Cezary
Januszewski Zygmunt	Juncker Jean-Claude
Jarmołowicz Bohdan	Junczyk-Ziomecka Ewa
Jarzymowska-Sobczak Elżbieta	Jungowska Katarzyna
Jasiński Jan	Juppe Alain
Jasiński Krzysztof	Juraga Nina
Jaskuła Henryk	Jurek Agnieszka
Jastrun Mieczysław	Juszkiewicz Vladek
Jaślar Krzysztof