Tadeusz Kantor
Tadeusz Kantor (1915-1990) appeared in the Warsaw community in the mid-1960s. He was already an established artist not only as a painter, but most of all as a founder of Circot 2, a theatre rather radical in its ways. For young artists he was a symbol of a radical approach in art. A relationship between the communities of young critics and artists (and, at the same time, future creators of the Foksal Gallery) already existed in the 1960s as they discussed Kantor's art and exhibitions in various magazines (e.g., Wiadomości plastyczne, dodatek do ITD, Projekt).
Kantor's first happening entitled "Cricotage" took place in Warsaw. The event was organized by the same group of people that would found the Foksal Gallery in the following months. Even though in 1966 Kantor wasn't one of the gallery's founders, he joined the gallery a year later. For many years he played a crucial role in shaping of the gallery and inspiring many projects. He organized his first happenings like "The Letter," "Panoramic Sea Happening," "Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson" in the gallery or with its support. The gallery's critics and artists took part in Kantor's happenings, which didn't leave their own work unaffected. The artist reacted to program texts and manifestos written by critics - the 1966 delivery of "The Introduction to a General Theory of Place" by Borowski, Ptaszkowska and Tchorek during the Syposium in Puławy led to an argument and accusations of plagiarism. In response to the 1969 manifesto "What we do not like about the Foksal PSP Gallery," Kantor (along with other artists) organized "Winter assamblage" that lasted for several days and which consisted of the artists' independent performances. Kantor's dominant personality was sometimes the cause of conflicts that, along with other matters, led in 1970 to the disintegration of the group that constituted the gallery.
Kossakowski's photographic documentation covers Kantor's work associated with the Foksal Gallery mainly before 1970. However, he also photographed Cricot 2's two later shows - "Wielopole, Wielopole" (Théâtre Bouffe du Nord in Paris, 1980) and "Ou sont less neiges d'antan"" (Pompidou Centre in Paris, 1982).
