21st-Century Self-Portraits at the National Museum

Thanks to the long-standing efforts of the Friends of the National Museum in Warsaw, a new collection of contemporary art – 21st-Century Self-Portraits – has been made possible. Funds for this initiative were raised through the auction “Collectors for the National Museum in Warsaw.”

The inspiration for the collection comes from Count Ignacy Korwin-Milewski, the greatest collector of Polish painting at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. At the time, he commissioned fifteen self-portraits from prominent artists whose works he owned – including Aleksander Gierymski, Jacek Malczewski, Jan Matejko, and the only female artist in the group, Anna Bilińska.

The newly created collection continues this legacy with works by ten female and ten male artists, each offering a contemporary perspective and using diverse media. The artists who contributed their self-portraits are:
Paweł Althamer, Agnieszka Brzeżańska, Rafał Bujnowski, Mirosław Bałka, Barbara Falender, Izabella Gustowska, Zuzanna Janin, Łukasz Korolkiewicz, Katarzyna Krakowiak, Zbigniew Libera, Rafał Milach, Jarosław Modzelewski, Agnieszka Polska, Katarzyna Przezwańska, Karol Radziszewski, Joanna Rajkowska, Wilhelm Sasnal, Jadwiga Sawicka, Aleksandra Waliszewska, and Artur Żmijewski.

The initiative was also supported by Weronika Szwarcb-Bronikowska and the Media People agency, who contributed Julia Woronowicz’s painting “Friends” to the auction and helped fund the acquisition of Joanna Rajkowska’s piece “I Wouldn’t Dare.”

The result of this collective effort is the exhibition “21st-Century Self-Portraits”, which opened on March 21 and features all the commissioned works. The artists employed a range of techniques – from painting, sculpture, and photography to multimedia and sound installations. All of the works are being shown to the public for the very first time.

The exhibition is on view at the National Museum in Warsaw until July 20, 2025. You are warmly invited to visit!
Temporary exhibitions / National Museum in Warsaw

 

More about the auction and works donated by collectors:

https://www.pb.pl/kolekcjonerzy-i-kolekcjonerki-dla-muzeum-wkrotce-kolejna-aukcja-charytatywna-na-rzecz-mnw-1208581

https://www.vogue.pl/a/aukcja-w-desa-unicum-wesprze-muzeum-narodowe-w-warszawie

 

We are proud to announce that Media People has been recognized as one of the most dynamically growing companies in Poland, earning the prestigious title of Forbes Diamond 2025. This honor confirms that a Polish company driven by passion, integrity, and a responsible approach to business can achieve success in a demanding market.

Since 2017, we have been steadily building our reputation as a reliable partner in the media and marketing sector, collaborating with top industry experts and gaining the trust of our clients. Our growth is the result of the hard work of our entire team and the values we uphold every day:

• 🤝 Trust and Credibility – Timeliness, accountability, and partnership are the cornerstones of our operations.
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• 🌱 Ethics and Ecology – We minimize our environmental impact and invest in sustainable development.
• 🎨 Support for Culture and Education – We engage in social projects, empower young talents, and promote Polish visual arts.

Being recognized in the Forbes ranking is not only a financial success – it also reflects our payment reliability, transparency, and consistent growth in company value, as verified by experts from Dun & Bradstreet Poland and BIG InfoMonitor.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our clients, partners, and the entire Media People team for your trust and support on this journey. It is thanks to you that we can continue to proudly grow a Polish business rooted in values, integrity, and a long-term vision.

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What Are the Forbes Diamonds?

The Forbes Diamonds is a prestigious ranking published annually by Forbes magazine in cooperation with the analytical firm Dun & Bradstreet Poland. It highlights the most dynamically growing companies in Poland that have demonstrated stable value growth, financial credibility, and timely payment practices in recent years.

It is one of the most respected business rankings in the country, confirming the solidity and reliability of the awarded companies – both large enterprises and SMEs.

To be included among the Diamonds, companies must meet strict criteria, including: 

✔ a positive financial result,
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For Polish businesses, it is a true mark of quality – a testament to being trustworthy and future-oriented business partners.