The exhibition “Sky and Sea”, featuring 24 artists, was organized on the occasion of the centenary of the magazine “Morze” (Sea). The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Association of Polish Marine Artists and was available in the Main Hangar of the Polish Aviation Museum until 14 December 2024.
The paintings presented at the exhibition were created specially for the 100th anniversary of the magazine. Their authors are artists associated with the Association of Polish Marine Artists:
During the exhibition, visitors could also admire works by former illustrators of “Morze”, including Adam Werka, donated to the editorial office by the family foundation bearing his name, headed by Adam’s daughter-in-law, Dr. hab. Joanna Werka.
An interesting addition to the exhibition were posters composed of collages of drawings by two outstanding artists who worked for “Morze” in the 1960s and 1970s: Jerzy Flisak and Lech Eustachy Karłowski.
The first issue of “Morze” was published during the interwar period, in November 1924. At the time, the magazine was the organ of the Maritime and River League, later renamed the Maritime and Colonial League — the same organization that made efforts to turn Madagascar into a Polish colony. “Morze” quickly gained popularity, and by August 1939, its circulation had reached 254,000 copies.
After World War II, “Morze” continued publication in the new communist reality. Despite obligatory propaganda elements, the editorial team skillfully smuggled in valuable content, serving as a window to the world for its readers. During this difficult period, the magazine was led by Jerzy Miciński, a legendary editor-in-chief who — although unable to become an active sailor due to health reasons — shaped several generations of seafarers through the content he published.
In the 1990s, the magazine declined, and its publication was periodically suspended. In 2019, it was revived by its current publisher, Charter Navigator, a company specializing in yacht charters on all the world’s seas.
The current editorial team preserves the magazine’s traditional format, maintains its most interesting sections, while the graphic form and style of each issue closely reference “Morze” from decades past. The topics covered by the editorial team have also remained unchanged — broadly defined maritime themes, ranging from socio-economic issues, through sports, history, world curiosities, to art.
