Of course, I know it's called wishful thinking, due to the fact that more and more politicians have been infected with this plague. They shall adapt their political transmission to the requirements social media – especially Tik Toka and Instagram.
To simplify complex issues, they usage catchy slogans, memes to interact with people who are not intellectually demanding. late a small medially forgotten Sławomir Mentzen He took a look at the artists with a job. Mentzen's mercenary work, which he despises as an entrepreneur, resulting from mediocre occupation offers at his law firm.
Harmful Generalisations
Dr. Sławomir brought all artists to respective symbolic characters, while claiming that there are so many and that they despise average people. In fact, Marilla Rodovichwhich in 1970. Could afford a Porsche, but allegedly did not pay ZUS, or Chaplain – a patocelebrit who seems to be an intellectual; they are not typical of the full environment. On the contrary. Unfortunately, people are not inquisitive.Mentzen's message was adequate and put a media storm on those artists who had the nerve to criticize Dr. Sławomir. This, of course, is not a text about whether the ZUS for artists is to be subsidized or not, but about the pathization of politics, and about the fact that Jasa Kapela et consortes are not typical of the artistic environment.
Over 60,000 artists
In Poland there are 62,423 artists, creators and performers surviving and actively working. This data comes from a comprehensive technological study Numbers and counts 2024 implemented by the Centre for Creative economical investigation at SWPS University in cooperation with the National Cultural Centre. The creative environment in Poland is divided into respective main disciplines, among which the most many group are musicians:
- music: 16.3 1000 people;
- Visual arts: 14.2 1000 people;
- theatre: 11.6 1000 people;
- film: 11.1 1000 people;
- literature: 5.7 1000 people;
- dance: 2,3 1000 people;
- interior and scenery architecture: 1.2 1000 people.
Mentzen nonsense
Sławomir Mentzen thundered at artists with these words: “Many of you talk publicly, with an undisclosed sense of superiority, in matters you have no thought of. You besides despise hardworking and backing people who gotta pay for you, even erstwhile they gain little than you.”.
Then for more than half of the text he insulted the artists, claiming that the real planet was little known than waiters, farmers, sellers or warehousers. Suggesting they have intellectual deficits. In a dramatic end, he trampled them into the mud, like Władysław Gomulka intelligents in 1968. “If you want our money, make the art we will want to pay for. Paint good paintings, evidence good songs, make good movies and performances. Do what you know. And do not be amazed that hardworking people whom you treat with superiority do not want to let you rob yourself so that you can proceed insulting them for their own money," he continued.
I do not know whether Dr. Sławomir consciously writes untruth, or is this due only to his mediocre cognition of Polish language and shortcomings in general knowledge? In sociology, statistic and common language, “many of you” means a crucial number or a clear group, which usually translates into a scope of 20% to 40% of the population. That is, according to Mentzen, the minimum of 12 400, or possibly even almost 25,000 artists publically systematically humiliates "ordinary Poles". Of course, that's full nonsense.
Celebrity minority
I haven't noticed, for example. Swietlana Stankiewicz, for years surviving in Wyszków, the artist from Ukraine who created beautiful ceramics humiliated average people. Like 2 well-known painters from Wyszkow – Iwona Ostrowska and Agnieszka Dłułęcka. It's just any of the artists in my 30,000th city who don't support Mentzen's bullshit. It can be exchanged indefinitely. Most artists, over 99%, have the right to be offended on Mentzen. These over 99% of artists do not talk politically, they are not “political officers” of this organization or another party. These artists only deal with art, not politics. Of course, there is simply a group of artists, actors, musicians, etc. who are engaged in supporting their organization and fighting the opposing party. This fight involves, among another things, depreciating or even dehumanizing the other organization electorate. In this passage Mentzen was right, writing about contempt for a common man. But this contempt is expressed by respective dozen, possibly respective 100 always the same, distinguished artists of celebrities – millionaires, which represents far below 1% of artists who make in Poland.
Artist's Answer
"I am an artist. I read from a card. Am I a retard? A clown? Don't I know real life? Do I despise people? Do I feel superior? Am I disconnected from reality? I'm an artist. For respective years I have worked 7 days a week, 12–16 hours a day. I'm working on a study. I run my own business. Night after night, he necks the products in his brand to gain his own art projects. I compose respective twelve applications a year for funding, almost no of which receive support. And yes, I read from a card. due to the fact that between work, activity, rehearsals, organizing concerts and fighting to make these concerts even possible, I don't always have time to learn the program by heart. Mr Sławomir Mentzen, I cordially invitation you to 1 of my concerts in Warsaw on 9 or 10 July. I'll play it from the card. And if the problem is the ticket price, don't worry, I'll get you a discount.” – she wrote it on her profile Alexander the Shepherd.
Aleksandra Shepherd (crevice) together with They're locoding. (clavesyn) form Fantastic Ensemble syndrome. They play baroque music, but not as a museum exhibit, just surviving art, full of drama, tension and extraordinary energy. Of course, in historical instruments, but they don't reproduce what was, they explore, they search again. Actually, the girls are on the road,au tour in Poland and neighbouring countries. In May, Alexandra drove 10,000 km by car. Unlike the Members to whom we return from our taxes all bill, even if they do not have a car and driver's license, had to pay for fuel from their own pocket.
Mentzen set off a bunch of shit.
Fantastica Ensemblereceived a nomination for the Frederick 2026 award in the category of Fonographic Debut of the Year – Classical Music for its debut album Biber. A small sacrum. A small profanum.. In short, the artists are excellent. If you do not believe, delight read reviews at least on ticketna.pl. Aleksandra besides conducts mini lectures on Baroque music on her social media. Kind of like Mini lectures on maxi mattersLeszek Kołakowski.
Her entry upset Mentzen fans' whiteness. So far, there have been on average respective comments under Alexandra's posts, seldom above ten. Under this entry we have over 1600 – of course mostly negative and rude. Mentzen activated the worst qualities of Poles: envy, jealousy, wickedness, etc. I thought I knew everything about online politics. Unfortunately, this “discourse” has greatly broadened my horizons.
Cultural response
Alexander Owczarek reacted to this eruption of rudeness and aggression: ‘A fewer words of clarification. I didn't compose my post to insult anyone or start another political war in comments, due to the fact that I'm ostracizing politics. I mention only to the words that have fallen to artists. Not all artists I know and I can't talk for. I know quite a few people who make niche art, who don't drive Porsches, don't live in luxury, and frequently spend years adding their own money to projects they believe in. I'm fortunate to be working on my own, doing business. This way I can finance my art projects. Not everyone has these possibilities. I besides ask about culture in comments. I didn't call anyone an idiot, so I don't know what I deserved to be called. I think it's possible to disagree and at the same time to talk with respect. And finally, something I wrote completely sincere. I invitation you to concerts, performances, theatres, museums and galleries. Not just for my events. I may be an idealist, but I inactive believe art makes the planet a small better. It will not solve all problems, but it can build sensitivity, empathy and community. Therefore, the invitation to Mr Sławomir Mentzen, as well as to all States, remains valid and is completely sincere. I hope to see you!”. Of course, this cultural comment only increased aggression and rudenessMentzenists.
How much do we pay for Mentzen's book?
Aleksandra Owczarek and Claudio Lobod forming the Fantastica Ensemble band are more typical of the artistic community than a fistful of well-known artists, who are simultaneously “polytruds” of their parties and have been hoarded by this or another salon for decades. Let us not put a sign of equality between artists dealing only with art and a fistful of people performing 2 professions.
Mentzen appealed to artists to make art for which people would pay. For Fantastic Ensemble's performances people are willing to pay. This, of course, did not like the fans of Sławomir, due to the fact that they publically began to multiply the number of tickets by the unit price, and then envy what large money the artist has for 1 performance. Of course, these enviers did not take into account the costs that artists had to bear for the performance to take place.But decide: whether artists are to gain or not? There were besides allegations that the tickets were besides expensive. Really? People don't make adequate money. Creating conditions in Poland for people to gain more and going to a performance with their household was not a financial problem, it was 1 of politicians, not artists. Looking at the results, it should be assumed that for almost 4 decades of the 3rd Republic of Poland politicians did not deal with this due to the fact that we are all the time in the last 3 of the most profitable societies in the EU countries. In fact, they are politicians, not artists, separated from reality and real life. due to the fact that what does a associate know about real life, who has respective tenure to support a taxpayer? And we have many. Nothing!
A fewer years ago, Sławomir Mentzen published his book entitled XD Philosophy. present only XD was left of it due to the fact that unsold copies I saw below PLN 10, erstwhile on the day of issue the book cost PLN 50. Paraphrasing Mentzen: If you want our money, compose philosophical books for which we will want to pay ourselves. I like Leszek Kołakowski.
Cezary Michał Biernacki
