Culture in Exile
Solidarity Days at Villa Decius
On Saturday, 7 December 2024, the next edition of the event ‘Culture in Exile. Days of solidarity at Villa Decius'.
Villa Decius regularly hosts events promoting the cultural diversity of our city. The Villa, for centuries famous as a meeting place and dialogue between different cultures and traditions, but also as a space where artists met in the patriotic salon, has for 26 years, under the auspices of the Municipality of Krakow, created an important point on the cultural map of Central and Eastern Europe and a safe place for artists seeking refuge from war or persecution in their countries of origin. Recently, we have devoted a particularly large amount of space to helping our friends from Ukraine, while not neglecting the relations and programmes with other international partners.
Culture in Exile. Solidarity Days at Villa Decius is our response to the difficult situation of the democratic opposition in Belarus and the deepening crisis of democratic values and civil liberties in that country. With the memory of the figures and efforts of Polish cultural creators in exile in mind, we invite Belarusians - victims of political oppression who were forced to emigrate from their homeland to find a new place to live and work creatively - to join the conversation. By organising the event Culture in Exile. Days of Solidarity at Villa Decius, we want to show that building a community is as much about heartfelt coexistence as it is about being open to other voices and traditions, being curious about the culture of our neighbours - the New Cracovians, being willing to learn something from them, as well as learning something about themselves and, incidentally, about each of us.
Programme of the event:
11:00 - 12:30 | Literary city walk in Krakow
On Saturday, 7 December, we will embark on an unusual journey in the footsteps of Belorussian literature in Krakow. During the walk, we will learn about the adventures of a Byelorussian classic in St. Mary's Tower, talk about books important to Byelorussians published in Krakow printing houses and visit places connected with the work of Byelorussian writers. Of course, there will be no shortage of poems and quotations in Polish and Belarusian translation.
The walk will start at the Barbican in Krakow. The walk will be led by Zmicier Ramancou
The walk is free of charge, registration at email: villa@villa.org.pl
11:00 - 14:00 | Photography workshop with Maria Elena Bonet
The photographic workshop entitled ‘Photogram and Cyanotype’ will be led by the Belarusian artist Maria Elena Bonet. During the workshop, participants will learn about two ancient and unique phenomena in photography. The cyanotype is one of the most beautiful methods of hand-printing photographs in Prussian blue. The photogram, on the other hand, is an image created without the use of a camera. These are photographic techniques that capture the shapes of objects or the shadows they cast. Prints are unique, after all, they can only be created in one copy.
During the workshop participants:
- will learn about the history and theory of photograms and cyanotypes;
- see extraordinary works by famous artists and photographers who used the techniques discussed;
- learn how to prepare photosensitive photographic emulsion;
- learn the secrets of choosing the right tools;
- make their own photogram using the cyanotype technique (and take it with them, of course).
The workshop is open to everyone aged 13 and over.
Admission to the workshop is free, but places are limited.
Registration by email: villa@villa.org.pl
The workshop will be accompanied by an EXHIBITION of the artist's photographic works, a selection of the projects she has realised in recent years and presented in various European countries.
Maria Elena Bonet was born in Minsk and graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Fine Arts in 2009. She focuses on analogue photography and creates works of art using manual photographic processes such as gelatin-silver technique, chromate gum, tintype process, cyanotype. She also creates multimedia projects involving photography, video, sound and light.
Her works refer to current events and are placed in a very personal and at the same time universal historical context. To enhance the intended effect, the artist simultaneously uses both historical photographic techniques and contemporary media to interpret the phenomena around her. These techniques have become a unique tool for Maria Elena Bonet to formulate an authorial language in photography based on symbolism and metaphor. The laborious and slow photographic processes help her to discover the essence of objects and phenomena in the surrounding reality.
Official website of the artist: www.maria-bonet.com
14:00 - 15:00 | Reading of poems from the booklet ‘Chrząszcz’ by Jan Brzechwa
Presentation of a series of translations from Polish into Belarusian, combined with a reading aloud of Jan Brzechwa's poem ‘Chrząszcz’, which provides an interesting metaphor for creativity in exile. Children are also invited to the meeting.
15:00 - 16:30 | A literary meeting with writers from Belarus
The meeting with Andrei Khadanovich and Uladzimir Niaklajeu, will be hosted by Valancina Andrejeva, editor-in-chief of Gutenberg Publisher.
11:00 - 16:30 | Gutenberg Zone
Throughout the event, Gutenberg Publisher will be selling books, puzzles on its pile, and will have a presentation of new books and gifts for event guests.
11:00 - 16:30 | Photo exhibition of works by Maria Elena Bonet
The event was co-financed by the Municipality of Krakow.
Organiser:
Villa Decius Association
Co-organiser:
Villa Decius Institute for Culture
During the events during ‘Culture in Exile’, photographic and video documentation will be made. Those taking part in the event agree that their image may be recorded and later used exclusively for the purposes of the project (promotion, evaluation).
Villa Decius regularly hosts events promoting the cultural diversity of our city. The Villa, for centuries famous as a meeting place and dialogue between different cultures and traditions, but also as a space where artists met in the patriotic salon, has for 26 years, under the auspices of the Municipality of Krakow, created an important point on the cultural map of Central and Eastern Europe and a safe place for artists seeking refuge from war or persecution in their countries of origin. Recently, we have devoted a particularly large amount of space to helping our friends from Ukraine, while not neglecting the relations and programmes with other international partners.
Culture in Exile. Solidarity Days at Villa Decius is our response to the difficult situation of the democratic opposition in Belarus and the deepening crisis of democratic values and civil liberties in that country. With the memory of the figures and efforts of Polish cultural creators in exile in mind, we invite Belarusians - victims of political oppression who were forced to emigrate from their homeland to find a new place to live and work creatively - to join the conversation. By organising the event Culture in Exile. Days of Solidarity at Villa Decius, we want to show that building a community is as much about heartfelt coexistence as it is about being open to other voices and traditions, being curious about the culture of our neighbours - the New Cracovians, being willing to learn something from them, as well as learning something about themselves and, incidentally, about each of us.
Programme of the event:
11:00 - 12:30 | Literary city walk in Krakow
On Saturday, 7 December, we will embark on an unusual journey in the footsteps of Belorussian literature in Krakow. During the walk, we will learn about the adventures of a Byelorussian classic in St. Mary's Tower, talk about books important to Byelorussians published in Krakow printing houses and visit places connected with the work of Byelorussian writers. Of course, there will be no shortage of poems and quotations in Polish and Belarusian translation.
The walk will start at the Barbican in Krakow. The walk will be led by Zmicier Ramancou
The walk is free of charge, registration at email: villa@villa.org.pl
11:00 - 14:00 | Photography workshop with Maria Elena Bonet
The photographic workshop entitled ‘Photogram and Cyanotype’ will be led by the Belarusian artist Maria Elena Bonet. During the workshop, participants will learn about two ancient and unique phenomena in photography. The cyanotype is one of the most beautiful methods of hand-printing photographs in Prussian blue. The photogram, on the other hand, is an image created without the use of a camera. These are photographic techniques that capture the shapes of objects or the shadows they cast. Prints are unique, after all, they can only be created in one copy.
During the workshop participants:
- will learn about the history and theory of photograms and cyanotypes;
- see extraordinary works by famous artists and photographers who used the techniques discussed;
- learn how to prepare photosensitive photographic emulsion;
- learn the secrets of choosing the right tools;
- make their own photogram using the cyanotype technique (and take it with them, of course).
The workshop is open to everyone aged 13 and over.
Admission to the workshop is free, but places are limited.
Registration by email: villa@villa.org.pl
The workshop will be accompanied by an EXHIBITION of the artist's photographic works, a selection of the projects she has realised in recent years and presented in various European countries.
Maria Elena Bonet was born in Minsk and graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Fine Arts in 2009. She focuses on analogue photography and creates works of art using manual photographic processes such as gelatin-silver technique, chromate gum, tintype process, cyanotype. She also creates multimedia projects involving photography, video, sound and light.
Her works refer to current events and are placed in a very personal and at the same time universal historical context. To enhance the intended effect, the artist simultaneously uses both historical photographic techniques and contemporary media to interpret the phenomena around her. These techniques have become a unique tool for Maria Elena Bonet to formulate an authorial language in photography based on symbolism and metaphor. The laborious and slow photographic processes help her to discover the essence of objects and phenomena in the surrounding reality.
Official website of the artist: www.maria-bonet.com
14:00 - 15:00 | Reading of poems from the booklet ‘Chrząszcz’ by Jan Brzechwa
Presentation of a series of translations from Polish into Belarusian, combined with a reading aloud of Jan Brzechwa's poem ‘Chrząszcz’, which provides an interesting metaphor for creativity in exile. Children are also invited to the meeting.
15:00 - 16:30 | A literary meeting with writers from Belarus
The meeting with Andrei Khadanovich and Uladzimir Niaklajeu, will be hosted by Valancina Andrejeva, editor-in-chief of Gutenberg Publisher.
11:00 - 16:30 | Gutenberg Zone
Throughout the event, Gutenberg Publisher will be selling books, puzzles on its pile, and will have a presentation of new books and gifts for event guests.
11:00 - 16:30 | Photo exhibition of works by Maria Elena Bonet
The event was co-financed by the Municipality of Krakow.
Organiser:
Villa Decius Association
Co-organiser:
Villa Decius Institute for Culture
During the events during ‘Culture in Exile’, photographic and video documentation will be made. Those taking part in the event agree that their image may be recorded and later used exclusively for the purposes of the project (promotion, evaluation).