Exhibition: Yoko Ono - Fly

While Yoko Ono first gained fame as John Lennon's wife, that legacy has often overshadowed her career as an artist for the past fifty years. This exhibition aims to introduce Yoko Ono, the experimental and avant garde artist, to the Polish audience. Ono's style has been associated with several different schools, including Conceptual Art, performance art, Fluxus and happenings. However, above all she has remained one of the leading independent artists, and a pioneer of merging traditional and new art forms, often with the participation of the spectators. Mixing old and new, traditional and modern, Ono also mixes Oriental and Western cultures, and viewers will be able to witness all of these contradictions when viewing "Fly," a representative showcase of her art career from the 60s until today.

when - Until 26th October
where - Centre for Contemporary Art, Al. Ujazdowskie 6
more info - click here

Exhibition: Warsaw in Posters

Throughout October, the Wilanow Poster Museum will be showing a massive outdoor exhibition of posters in Lazienki Park titled "Warsaw in Posters." The exhibition includes large billboard versions of posters depicting or advertising the capital city, from Art Deco renderings of the 20s and 30s to contemporary works.

when - Throughout October
where - Lazienki Park
more info - click here

Exhibition: Jan III and Companions in Arms

The exhibition "Jan III and Companions in Arms" ("Jan III i towarzysze broni") celebrates the 325th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna. This temporary exhibition will be shown in the large hall of the exquisite Wilanow Palace Museum, a fine museum worth checking out in its own right.

when - until November
where - Wilanow Palace Museum, ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16
more info - click here

Shows at Praga Theatre

This October, the Praga Theatre, located on the east side of the city in the trendy Praga district, will be putting on a wide variety of plays in Polish. Some of the highlights include satirist Slawomir Mrozek's "Emigranci" ("Emigrants"), playing from the 3rd until the 5th of the month at 7 pm. Also on the bill is Michal Siegoczynski's "Elling," on the 12th, 13th, and 14th, as well as several other gems throughout the month. Well worth a look if you are well-versed in the Polish language.

when - Throughout October
where - Fabryka Trzciny Artistic Centre, ul. Otwocka 14
more info - click here

Exhibition: Revolutions 1968

The "Revolutions 1968" exhibition presents the turbulent late 60s through art, though not necessarily the art of those times. Modern works attempt to capture in various formats the spirit of protest that rocked the world in 1968, from anti-communist movements to pop culture, emancipation and civil rights movements, in the context of the revolutionary atmosphere that marked these times. The exhibition will be accompanied by a book published by the gallery and Agora SA publishers, consisting of essays analysing the cultural, social, and political conditions of 1968 around the world, with an introduction by 60s oppositionist Adam Michnik. The exhibition includes artwork, video, and documentary films by dozens of artists and groups from several countries, including Poland, the U.S., Hungary, Germany, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Japan, and France.

when - Until 9th November
where - Zacheta National Art Gallery, Pl. Malachowskiego 3
more info - click here

Revues at Teatr Sabat

Singing, dancing and beautiful women! A real treat for those of you who love revue. It can also be an unforgettable experience for those who've never been to a revue show before - who knows, you might end up loving it. While in August the actors got a month's break, in September the Sabat Theatre returns with three different revue spectacles called "Kisses from the World", "Europe Together" and "Revue...My Love". You can take your pick or go to all of them! If you do, you won't be sorry, because the Sabat Theatre is so much more than just a theatre. There is a great cafe and restaurant in the venue. On the night of the show everyone gets a free drink and desserts are served after the spectacle. If you don't want to watch people dance, you can dance yourself - every Friday and Saturday at 10:30 pm you're most welcome to take part in a dance which has the unforgettable atmosphere of Parisian Bohemia. Sounds encouraging? We think so.

when - Throughout October and November
where - Sabat Theatre, ul. Foksal 16
more info - click here

Exhibition: 20th Century Art Gallery

The exhibition "20th Century Art Gallery. Uncovering the Collection 1945-1955" is an ongoing exhibition at the National Museum in Warsaw, which will be on display until the end of 2008. The exhibition presents just a fraction of the wealth of the contemporary art collection in the holdings of the National Museum, as it focuses on a dynamic decade of Polish art, and is part of a series of exhibitions titled "Uncovering the Collection." The present show highlights the most precious specimens of Polish art from 1945–55 in the museum's collection, including works by Andrzej Wroblewski, Wladyslaw Strzeminski, the Capist group, as well as pottery by Pablo Picasso, which was donated to the museum during the artist's visit to Poland in 1948. Works in the socialist realism style, declared the only officially allowed style in 1949, make up a whole room of the collection, with pieces which were awarded prizes at the State Annual Art Exhibitions. However, a large segment of the works from 1950-55 show a trend of overcoming the doctrine of socialist realism, leading to original and avant garde works from the era.

when - Until 30th December
where - National Museum, al. Jerozolimskie 3
more info - click here

Warsaw Philharmonic Concerts

In the beginning of October the Warsaw Philharmonic will be celebrating the 75th birthday of renowned Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki, as well as the inauguration of the 2008/2009 season. The symphonic orchestra and the national philharmonic choir as well as the Warsaw boys' choir will be performing two nights of Polish classical music, conducted by Antoni Wit. The programme will be performed for two evenings, and features pieces by Johannes Brahms and Pederecki. On the 3rd of October, the performance begins at 7:30 pm, and on the 4th it begins at 6 pm. Tickets range between 25 and 45 PLN.

when - 3rd and 4th October
where - Warsaw Philharmonic, ul. Jasna 5
more info - click here

Concert: Handsome Furs

Handsome Furs, the Montreal, CA based husband and wife duo, consist of Dan Boeckner, also of the band Wolf Parade and earlier Atlas Strategic, and his wife Alexei Perry. The band's beginnings go back to winter 2005, when a short story by Perry inspired the band's name. In May 2007 the Handsome Furs released their début LP, Plague Park, through the cult American record label Sub Pop, recorded in Wolf Parade's Montreal studio, Mount Zoomer. The Handsome Furs are a mixture of unique throaty vocals, minimal rough guitars, as well as drum loops and other synthesized sounds, which make for sometimes melancholy, sometimes hopeful, emotional songs. 2009 promises the band's second album, tentatively titled Face Control. The band will be playing three shows in Poland, including the 6th of October in Warsaw's Jadlodajnia Filozoficzna, the 7th at Poznan's Kisielice, and on the 8th at Rozchulantyna Club in Krotoszyn.

when - 6th October
where - Jadlogajnia Filozoficzna, ul. Dobra 33/35
more info - click here

Concert: Air

French electro-pop duo Air will be performing at Warsaw's Palladium club this October, a long seven years since the last time they played in Poland. The show is part of the band's "Close Up Tour" promoting their album "Pocket Symphony." The concert begins at 8 pm, and tickets start at 185 PLN.

when - 7th October
where - Palladium, ul. Zlota 7/9
more info - click here

Warsaw International Film Festival

Film fans are in for a treat this October as the Warsaw Film Fest rolls into town. Expect art-house offerings from every corner of the globe, with a special emphasis of course on up-and-coming Polish talent. Films are usually screened in their original language with Polish subtitles and participating cinemas include Kinoteka (Palace of Science and Culture on pl. Defilad 1), Relax (ul. Zlota 8) and Luna (ul. Marszalkowska 28)

when - 10th till 19th October 2008
where - Various Venues
more info - click here

FreeForm Festival 2008

An eclectic programme of visual arts and contemporary music returns for its second year in the capital. Films, live music acts, DJ sets, VJ sets, other visualisations, multi-media shows and just about anything else you can do with a screen and a computer will stimulate the creative juice

when - 17th and 18th October 2008
where - Fabryka Trzciny, ul. Otwocka 14
more info - click here