Networking, conferences and symposia
This year, the formula of the programme was extended to include a new form of mobility, i.e. a networking trip. As part of such a possibility, curator Agata Ciastoń visited two Belgian cities – Ghent and Brussels – where she worked on the concept of a solo exhibition by artist Guy Slabbinck planned for 2022. The artistic duo: Emilia Marcjasz and Dziyana Shydlouskaya indulged in working on glass during the 14th International Glass Symposium in Novy Bor, Czech Republic. Similarly, Natalia Komorowska participated in this year’s Venice Glass Week (Italy). During exhibitions, shows and lectures on traditional glass-making techniques she had the opportunity to meet artists from all over the world. The Wroclaw-based artist also showed her works at an exhibition in The Venice Glass Week HUB under35. Culture of Mobility also made it possible for female ceramicists from Wrocław to travel: Joanna Opalska-Brzecka and Weronika Surma went to Daugavpils (Latvia), where they participated in the 9th edition of the International Ceramic Symposium “CeramicLaboratory 2021”, as part of the 3rd Latvian Ceramics Biennale.
In turn, Jakub Zarzycki, an academic teacher at the Institute of Art History in Wrocław, took part in the conference “Polish-Italian artistic contacts 1871-1939”. At the event, he presented a study of the Polish iconosphere at the turn of the 19th and 20th century and the trip was crowned with a unique event – receiving his doctoral diploma in the eternal city.
Exhibition, prestigious awards and festivals
At the invitation of Kulturverein Alte Feuerwache Losechwitz in Dresden, Wrocław visual artist Urszula Śliz has shown her works as part of a joint exhibition with German creator Tobias Stengel. This is a continuation of the “Geometry of Unrest” project presenting geometric abstractions. Last year for creative souls form Lower Silesia was also about winning awards. At the turn of September and October, Marzena Malinowska, a graduate of the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław, participated in the 3rd Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition in Prague. She returned to Wrocław as one of the finalists of the competition. Although the amount of the mobility support from the Culture Zone Wrocław does not exceed 3,000 zloty, it was possible to partially support an impressive project on another continent – Pamoja Zanzibar Festival in Tanzania. Radek Bond Bednarz, Filip Zakrzewski, Martyna Gerber, Piotr Gospodarczyk and Łukasz Dembinski participated in the first edition of this event in Tanzania consisting of concerts, pro-social and educational events and workshops.
Participation in music EXPO and film festival
The KOSA band consisting of: Kasia Pakosa, Aleksandra Gronowska, Katarzyna Szetela-Pękosz and Anastazja Sosnowska went to WOMEX 21 Worlwide Music EXPO, where they played and sang at the Alfandega Congress Center in Porto (Portugal). The artists performed folk music in their own arrangements, referring to the songs of the inhabitants who came from different regions of Poland and Europe to Lower Silesia after the World War II. Participation in the EXPO resulted in many new contacts and maybe even projects in the future. Another Wrocław based curator, Lech Moliński participated in Torino Film Festival – the second most important film event in Italy – presenting short films and documentaries from Apennine Peninsula. The aim of the trip was also to select films that will be screened at next year’s 8th Świdnica Film Festival SPEKTRUM.
Workshops and current topics in project
In 2021, Culture of Mobility supported 3 trips aimed to organize workshops. Katarzyna Kuczyńska and Jose Luis Sosa Estang carried out the project called “Latin therapy among Poles” in Bielce (Moldova) and Odessa (Ukraine). The aim was to popularize a new look at the social role of Latin dance and to cooperate with teachers/therapists, as well as to present dance as a method of working with children and young people. Actress Zofia Straczycka took part in a puppetry workshop with young people in Kopparberg (Sweden) organized by the independent Teater Albatross in Toklanda, which she visited as part of her study visit. She had the opportunity to observe the daily practice of the creators and staff members of this institution.
Participants of Culture of Mobility not only broadened their knowledge and gained new contacts. In their projects, they raised important and timely issues. In September, Magdalena Zambrzycka, film director, traveled to the Greek island of Lesbos, where she conducted artistic film workshops for refugee children and youth in the Moria camp. As part of the workshop, short films were created by the young filmmakers. During the classes Magdalena explored issues related to compassion and the need to help. The etudes were presented in late autumn at Wrocław’s Tętno gallery.
I another part of the Europe, visual artist Mo Abd Ulla participated in a residency at the Cite internationel des arts in Paris. He carried out a research project about how contemporary art interacts with memory, history and the urban landscape of Paris.
Beneficiaries of Culture of Mobility 2021:
- Mo Abd Ulla, Paris (France) – Residence Cité internationale des arts
- Radek Bond Bednarz, Filip Zakrzewski, Martyna Gerber, Piotr Gospodarczyk and Łukasz Dembiński, Zanzibar (Tanzania) – Pamoja Zanzibar Festival
- Jakub Zarzycki, Rome (Italy) – Conference “Polish-Italian artistic contacts 1871-1939”
- Joanna Opalska-Brzecka, Daugavpilis (Latvia) – 3. Latvian Biennial of Ceramics
- Weronika Surma, Daugavpilis (Latvia) – 3. Latvian Biennial of Ceramics
- Natalia Komorowska, Venice (Italy) – Venice Glass Week
- Urszula Śliz, Dresden (Germany) – Kulturverein Alte Feuerwache Losechwitz
- Agata Ciastoń, networking trip – Ghent and Brussels (Belgium) – Guy Slabbinck’s studio, Museum of Contemporary Art S.M.A.K. in Ghent, Bozar in Brussels and Harlan Levey Projects Gallery
- The KOSY band, Porto (Portugal) – WOMEX 21 Worlwide Music EXPO
- Emilia Marcjasz and Dziyana Shydlouskaya, Novy Bór (Czech Republic) – XIV International Glass Symposium
- Katarzyna Kuczyńska and Jose Luis Sosa Estang, Odessa (Ukraine) and Bielce (Moldova) – Union of Poles in Ukraine Branch Adam Mickiewicz and the Polish House Association in Bielce
- Lech Moliński, Turin (Italy) – Torino Film Festival
- Magdalena Zambrzycka, Lesbos (Greece) – Better Days Foundation
- Marzena Malinowska, Prague (Czech Republic) – 3rd International Viola Competition Oskar Nedbal
- Zofia Straczycka, Toklanga (Sweden) – Teater Albatross
