The former Faculty of Law and Administration smoking room has become an art gallery! Since November 14, paintings by more than 20 contemporary artists have been on display at the WPiA. The originator of the gallery was art historian Maciej Smolarski from the UG Library, while dr hab. Maciej Wojciechowski, prof. UG from the Department of Theory and Philosophy of State and Law, provided support on the legal side.

‘We are a community that wants to surround itself with beauty, that loves the aesthetics of the places where we work and spend our time,’ said Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalisation dr hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG. ‘I remember when works of art first arrived on campus - it started with the Faculty of Languages, and everyone was full of fears as to whether they would be destroyed. However, it turned out that communing with art makes us richer, that we work and study better. Congratulations on the idea and the execution.'

The gallery was officially opened by prof. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler and the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration, dr hab. Wojciech Zalewski, prof. UG, who emphasised that this was the first painting gallery opened at a law-related faculty in Poland. The inauguration of the ‘Palarnia’ gallery was attended by UG students and staff, as well as participants in the conference ‘105 years of the State Labour Inspectorate’, which was held at the WPiA at the time.

‘This is a collection that was created solely from donations from artists. We have managed to collect works of art that are truly top-notch,' said mgr Maciej Smolarski.

‘I hope this place will teach law students a different kind of sensitivity,’ added prof. Maciej Wojciechowski.

One of the artists, Beata Ewa Białecka, thanked for the invitation to participate in this initiative and emphasised that she felt honoured to have her paintings hanging among the works of such outstanding artists.

The gallery's current collection presents works by the following artists: Bettina Bereś, Beata Ewa Białecka, Magdalena Bielesz, Artur Blusiewicz, Matylda Burszta, Martyna Czech, Andrzej Fogtt, Paula Jaszczyk, Justyna Kieruzalska, Daniel Krysta, Natalia Kozarzewska, Ewa Kuryluk, Mikołaj Malesza, Joanna Mrozowska, Zdzisław Nitka, Klaudia Prabucka, Krzysztof Skarbek, Marek Sobczak, Dagmara Angier Sroka, Jacek Sroka, Radek Szlęzak, Antonina Janus Szybist, Wojciech Szybist, Marcin Zawicki, Jowita Żychniewicz-Toma.

The ‘Palarnia’ gallery is located on the first floor of the Faculty of Law and Administration.