In July 1963, Skopje, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, part of Yugoslavia, was almost completely destroyed by a major earthquake. The International Cultural Centre and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje (MSU) recall the rebuilding of the city, with Macedonians receiving support from numerous countries, organisations and individuals from all over the globe. A major contribution came from Polish architects and urban planners, highly experienced following the rebuilding of Warsaw which was razed to the ground during the Second World War. The exhibition Skopje. City, Architecture and Art of Solidarity recalls Adolf Ciborowski representing the United Nations, Stanisław Jankowski leading the Polish team developing reconstruction plans, and designers of the modernist building of the MSU Wacław Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzyński and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki. The International Cultural Centre also recalls the response of Poland’s artistic circles: artworks by artists such as Tadeusz Brzozowski, Alfred Lenica and Henryk Stażewski were donated to the collection of MSU in 1970 to join masterpieces by artists including Pablo Picasso, Niki de Saint Phalle and Victor Vasarely. (Dorota Dziunikowska, “Karnet” monthly)
