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Home > Listen > Barbara Legutko
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Barbara  Legutko

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MS Batory USA artists tradition Greenpoint New York
Barbara Legutko, photography by Błażej Sendzielski
 

Barbara Legutko was born in 1942 in Chełm. Her family history has been connected with Greenpoint since 1910, when Barbara’s grandfather emigrated to the US. After the I World War he decided to come back to Poland with his family. After the outbreak of the II World War Barbara’s father moved back to New York, and after two years his wife and children joined him. In 1948, Barbara sailed to the US on board of MS Batory.

At first, Barbara’s parents lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Barbara’s father worked as a mechanic and after that he was employed at the Singer sewing machine factory. Barbara’s mother looked after the house and fostered their Polish family traditions. At home, she only spoke Polish and she used to take her daughters to Greenpoint to the Chopin Theatre to see Polish films.

Barbara got a degree in History of Art and Art Therapy (psychological therapy via art) at the Fine Art Academy. In New York, at a party organized by the Kościuszko Foundation to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland, Barbara met her future husband, a Pole. They got married in 1967. One year later, the Legutkos went to visit Poland. For Barbara, it was her first visit to Poland since she emigrated.

Barbara’s husband got a degree in civil engineering and his dream was to become a Polish art dealer. The Legutkos regularly visited Poland to take part in auctions of the Polish painters. They bought an old house in Greenpoint dated to 1893 and with time, they turned it into an art gallery. Barbara Legutko organized art therapy sessions.

Interviewed by Karolina Łukasiewicz, Ewa Dżurak and Ewa Maliga on 22nd June 2015 in New York City under the "Greenpoint. The Transition 2015” project. More at cultureshock.pl.

interview excerpts
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The history of emigration of Barbara's grandfather, father and Barbara.
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Seeing the Statue of Liberty and settling in the US
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"This world is no more”
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Dad in jazz band
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America lessons on TV
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Aeristic traditions in the family
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Greenpoint - a link to the past
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Cinema with Polish films
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gallery
From the left: Barbara’s father, Stanley Lipert, her mother, Irene, Barbara and her sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
From the left: Barbara’s father, Stanley Lipert, her mother, Irene, Barbara and her sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
A family picnic in the park - Barbara Legutko in the foreground, the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
A family picnic in the park - Barbara Legutko in the foreground, the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
Barbara Legutko in the 50s., USA, from the private archives
Barbara Legutko in the 50s., USA, from the private archives
Barbara (third from the right) with her mother Irena (first on the right) during a visit paid to uncle Janek (first on the left), from the private archives
Barbara (third from the right) with her mother Irena (first on the right) during a visit paid to uncle Janek (first on the left), from the private archives
Barbara (wearing a vest, second on the right) at her cousin Zbyszek’s birthday party (first on the left), the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
Barbara (wearing a vest, second on the right) at her cousin Zbyszek’s birthday party (first on the left), the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
Barbara (in the foreground) with her mother Irena and sister Krysia on their way to Staten Island, the 1950s, New York., from the private archives
Barbara (in the foreground) with her mother Irena and sister Krysia on their way to Staten Island, the 1950s, New York., from the private archives
From the left: cousin Jadzia, mother Irena, sister Krysia, cousin Zbyszek, Barbara, uncle Janek (standing behind her), aunt Lucia, father Stanley. New Jersey, the US, the 1950s., from the private archives
From the left: cousin Jadzia, mother Irena, sister Krysia, cousin Zbyszek, Barbara, uncle Janek (standing behind her), aunt Lucia, father Stanley. New Jersey, the US, the 1950s., from the private arch
Barbara Legutko with her mother Irena, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
Barbara Legutko with her mother Irena, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (first on the left) on her First Communion Day, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1951, from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (first on the left) on her First Communion Day, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1951, from the private archives
In front of her family home with her mother and sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
In front of her family home with her mother and sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
In the garden with her sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
In the garden with her sister Krystyna, Elizabeth, New Jersey, the 1950s., from the private archives
With her sister Krystyna, New Jersey, the 1950s, from the private archives
With her sister Krystyna, New Jersey, the 1950s, from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (second row, second on the left) during the graduation ceremony at the Polish Primary School at the parish of St. Adalbert of Prague in New Jersey, 1956, from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (second row, second on the left) during the graduation ceremony at the Polish Primary School at the parish of St. Adalbert of Prague in New Jersey, 1956, from the private archives
Barbara Legutko, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1956, photo from the private archives
Barbara Legutko, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1956, photo from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (first on the right) with her family, Long Island, New York, 1960., from the private archives
Barbara Legutko (first on the right) with her family, Long Island, New York, 1960., from the private archives



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