Barbara Ptak honored with bust unveiling in Katowice

A bust of Barbara Ptak, one of Poland’s most prominent costume and set designers, was unveiled at the Art Gallery on Grunwaldzki Square in Katowice. The commemoration took place on September 9 during celebrations marking the anniversary of Katowice receiving city rights.

Ptak was selected for this honor through a public vote involving over one thousand residents, receiving more than 32 percent of the vote. Her career spanned over 80 films and 130 theatrical productions. Her work contributed to several classics of Polish cinema that received Academy Award nominations, including ‘Knife in the Water’, ‘Pharaoh’, ‘The Promised Land’, and ‘Days and Nights’.

Born in Chorzów in 1930, Ptak was deeply connected to the Silesian region. She debuted as a theatrical scenographer in 1966 at the Silesian Theatre and served as a lecturer at the University of Silesia’s Faculty of Radio and Television. In addition to the new bust, her legacy is preserved through an exhibition at the Museum of the History of Katowice, which houses her photographs, costumes, and awards.