This polyphonic tale from one side is an outcome of a program realized by the Borderland Foundation and Center “Borderland of Arts, Cultures and Nations” during last three years. The program has its both artistic and social dimension. But the exhibition is not just a documentation of the cross-cultural program. It is in fact an “Invisible Bridge” of its own, created in the process of transgression of the community based bridge-building experience into a new artistic form and language.
IDEA
The “Invisible Bridge” is a journey deep into the memory of the borderlands, a place where men transcend themselves, encounter others, and try to build a community of dialogue. The Bridge requires sacrifice, and whether it turns out to be cleansing or destructive depends on the knowledge gained of the secrets of its construction, or in other words – learning the important art of coexisting with others.
History is full of broken bridges on religious, national, and social frontiers. The evolution of the art of building bridges that lead to dialogue, reconciliation, and the strengthening of social bonds, is a challenge facing a contemporary world that is experiencing a crisis in multicultural society. How can we use heritage and historical experience to build a culture of solidarity in a world of growing divisions, inequality, and exclusion?
The name of the program refers to the book “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino and emphasises the value of immateriality in the art of building bridges, work on that which is human, on that which builds the connective tissue in terms of social value and on solidarity. The bridge is an open and incomplete structure, a secret requiring an “access code” that can be obtained from spiritual experience, historical information, the culture of memory and empathy – something you cannot just get but have to work for.
PROGRAM
The program is an attempt at exploring the bridge phenomena through the contemporary understanding of the craft of bridge-builder: it confronts us with always relevant questions about the art of coexisting with others; the risk of transgression, but also with the blurring of borders; the clash of traditional values with innovation and globalisation; the secret of the bridge and its attractiveness to local communities; endangered community, and ethos of dialogue.
The program is a long-term venture implemented at the International Centre of Dialogue in Krasnogruda, located on the Polish-Lithuanian border, and at the “Borderland” Centre in Sejny. The program expands on the most important experiences of the “Borderland” Centre and seeks a new, more voluminous form of art and education based on dialogue and human coexistence. Its concept and philosophy are based on the idea of the deep culture developed by the “Borderland” Centre, which is submerged in social and natural environments and is oriented towards the long process that leads to social transformation and development – one that combines fine arts and knowledge, empathy for Others and ecology, local initiative and high artistic value, as well as tradition and innovation.
The process of creating an “Invisible Bridge” was inaugurated with the “Medea: Other – Different – Own” program carried out over the years 2013-2014. This programme included the “Colchis of Krasnogruda” art and education workshops, the “Medea-Pont” Art and Knowledge Symposium, the spectacle “Three Women. A Metamorphosis of the Myth of Medea by Ovid and Picasso”, the “Miłosz – Connective Tissue” symposium, and the “Argonauts of Sejny Jazz Cooperative” music program. In summer 2015 an International Village of Bridge Builders was established in Krasnogruda with participation of local community as well as artists, philosophers, and pedagogues from different continents. In August 22, as a culmination of a common work, a “Mystery of the Bridge” was performed for the first time.
From the beginning of the program a constellation of arts and education workshops were created that aim to develop the building blocks of the bridge-installation and its story. The essence of building the bridge is in the fact that it is built with local material, the memory of the location, and the creativity of its inhabitants. These workshops were attended by the residents of Sejny and the fifteen villages within the region of Krasnogruda, among which are Poles, Lithuanians, and Russians-Old Believers. The program includes the following workshops: Bridge Construction, Storytelling, Deep Song, Music of Place, Childhood Secrets, Art-Mask, Nature, Weaving, Image and Modern Media, Bridge Library, and Pantry. The workshops were hosted by renowned artists, cultural animators, and teachers with long experience in teaching art in multicultural communities.
Along with workshops the Bridge Academy was opened with as a series of seminars with Neimar (the master bridge builder), who presents books, movies, texts, own projects, and other activities, which are then subject to debate. The invited guests included animators of intercultural dialogue through art, social activity, and science from various parts of the world; including: Africa (Uganda), South America (Colombia), Caucasus, Balkans, United States, Israel, Ukraine, Norway, and Lithuania.
The “Mystery of Bridge” was performed in a specially designed space in the Krasnogruda village park. There is an artistic installation-sculpture created there that is serving as the core for the story about the Neimar, the broken bridge and its rebirth during the mystery. It is not and will never be closed or completed. This bridge is built from the ground up in each instance, but only when it is subject to human activity that aims towards its resurrection. Its structure is based on two towers symbolising art and knowledge, and also separate identities, cultures, and individuals. At the same time this structure of the bridge allows for its adaptation as space for meetings, dialogues, and artistic events.
EXHIBITION
The exhibition “Invisible Bridge” will consist of several elements integrated in one polyphonic tale. It will be created by artists from the “Borderland” team or closely related to them, who participated in different stages of the program: Krzysztof Czyżewski (concept and poetry), Bożena Szroeder (sculpture), Wiesław Szumiński (sculpture and photography), Kuba Kossak (film). Copyrights of all works included belong to the “Borderland”.
Poetry: A text-manifesto on “Invisible Bridge” written in a form of poetry by Krzysztof Czyżewski; it will be printed on linen scrolls in Polish and Italian (possibly also English).
Sculpture: A small maquette (macchietta) of the ‘invisible bridge’ created in clay, wood and stone by Bożena Szroeder and Wiesław Szumiński; presented in open space to make an observer walk around it.
Photography: A collection of 20 to 30 photographs created by Wiesław Szymiński.
Film: Two screens are needed, one for a film “Invisible Bridge” created by artist and film director Kuba Kossak, second for images presenting destruction of the bridge (archive materials from the collection owned by the Borderland).
Flavours and fragrances: Spectators in the gallery will be welcomed with fragrances from the herbs and oils produced in the Pantry workshop during the last years of the program and will be served with a small cup of tea produced in the same workshop in Krasnogruda; there will be small begs with Krasnogruda tea prepared for everybody who wants to take it back home.
More:
about exhibition in Trieste Trova eventi
The programme of the exhibitions in Trieste at Studio Tommaseo
January 9 ● Opening of the exhibition by Arturas Valiauga and screening of the film “Silent War in Beqaa Valley” by Samir Mehanović [January 9 – 19]
January 21 ● Opening of the exhibition by Lada Nakonechna and by Tomáš Rafa [January 21 – February 2]
February 4 ● Opening of the exhibition “Invisible Bridge” by Krzysztof Czyzewski [February 4 – 15]
February 18 ● Opening of the exhibition by Leon Tarasewicz [February 18 – 28]
March 1 ● Opening of the exhibition of the project “Albom.Pl” by Grzegorz Dabrowski [March 1-11]
Invisible Bridge in Triest - vernissage, photo by Wiesław Szumiński
Photo gallery Ranka Mutulevic
