We built this city

The exhibition showcases eight decades not through dates, key events, or notable figures that have distinctly marked history, but through the people—residents of Stalowa Wola—who become the narrators of the story of one of Poland’s youngest cities. Through their memories, the narrative of the exhibition unfolds, allowing us to listen to what they have to say about the city they built, where they live, the streets they traverse daily, and the image they hold in their memories while shaping its atmosphere. This exhibition creates a space for encounters between generations, streets, and memories. Heritage is not just about phenomena, buildings, or facts that are widely known, appreciated, and described in books; it also encompasses the taste of ice cream from years gone by, black-and-white photographs from prom nights, or a jug given as a wedding gift.

The exhibition refers to the current trend in museology of exploring the biographies of places and objects as well as the interpretation of heritage. It serves as a visualized form of an oral archive, where, alongside the voices of residents, there are photographs, documents, memorabilia, utilitarian objects, items associated with specific individuals or places, film fragments, and other objects that appropriately illustrate the narrative and act as witnesses to the history of the city and its inhabitants. Each exhibit tells a different story.

While the exhibition relates to the history of a specific place and its community, it illustrates experiences common to most Poles living over the past eighty years. This exhibition, which has a distinctly social and civic character, fits obviously into the context of celebrating the centenary of Poland’s independence, emphasizing that collective engagement and effort serve to build both the larger and smaller homeland. The anniversary of regaining independence draws attention to the ethos of patriotism, which can be vividly represented by Stalowa Wola—a city recognized as a symbol of the “steel will of the Polish nation striving for independence.” The title of the exhibition, “We Built This City,” directly refers to the fact of building the city from raw ground and highlights the role of the entire community in this endeavor.

Interviews for the exhibition were conducted with the participation of the Department of Museology at the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Rzeszów, along with students of museology and sociology from the University of Rzeszów.

Exhibition Idea: Lucyna Mizera
Exhibition Curator: Katarzyna Zarzycka
Collaboration: Wojciech Chudzik
Exhibition Design: Kozanostra
Coordinator: Elżbieta Skromak