We say that hope dies last.
But is this true?
In the face of climate catastrophe, will our hopes of maintaining the current way of life and relationship with nature remain with us until the end? Or will the human species become extinct before it can save itself, leaving nature to self-regulate the fate of the Earth?
Pamela Leończyk's exhibition explores the current discourse on ecology, focusing on the idealistic and romanticized view of nature. This perspective sees nature as a place of refuge, safety, and a primordial source of tranquility. It is also viewed as a space for personal growth and development. The eco-romantic view of nature, as a vision of a lost harmonious world, emerged as early as the 19th century in Germany, in response to the severe environmental devastation caused by the rapid industrialization of the country. Today, it is making a comeback, driven by urgent warnings of an impending climate catastrophe that will end life on Earth if we do not take effective action. Pamela Leończyk begins her exploration of the relationship between humans and nature by examining the phenomenon of fish languishing. This describes the situation where fish are still alive but unable to return to active biological life. It often occurs due to factors such as low temperatures, water poisoning, or lack of oxygen, and is typically a mass phenomenon limited to a particular area.
The artist began researching this topic as early as 2021 during an artist residency at the CCA ŁAŹNIA, focusing then on theoretical, philosophical, artistic and cultural themes. In 2022, a catastrophic event occurred in the Oder River, where most species of flora and fauna went extinct. This event became a poignant example of an ongoing ecological disaster. The exhibition alludes to this event, becoming a kind of fantasy of a funeral ceremony dedicated to the non-human inhabitants of the river - primarily the fish.
The exhibition weaves a narrative that prompts reflection on the position of fish in different cultures, their hierarchy in the popular consciousness. Fish have been significant creatures with rich symbolism since ancient times, found in various regions, religions, and myths around the world. They are associated with concepts such as fertility, abundance, and prosperity. In this exhibition, fish become the main protagonists of contemplation on themes such as death, environmental destruction, and the end of an era.
Who is really languished here - the fish?
Or mankind - sunk in marasmus and unable to effect real change in the face of a growing climate crisis?
In her exhibition, Pamela Leończyk creates a fantastic world where fish are honoured as creatures deserving funeral rites. The universe she has constructed invites us to reflect on the ceremony of bidding farewell to the creatures of the Oder River who have no “voice”. These beings whose death is culturally ranked lower than mammals, and their passing hurts less, touches less and often evokes less compassion. Leończyk's work encourages us to immerse ourselves in the experience and emotions of mourning and reflecting on the lives of these voiceless creatures. The author of the exhibition presents a counterpoint by asking a question about the similarities between humans and fish, highlighting mutual relations, community, and dependency of both. Visitors are encouraged to engage in mourning, lamentation, and the ritual of weeping, which are derived from ancient funerary customs. The artist invites visitors to confront uncomfortable emotions and provide them a place in the spectrum of human experience. This piece of work is intended as a tribute to the real creatures, such as fish and other organisms, that have died in the Oder River. More broadly, it provides a space for reflection on the extensive destruction of the natural environment through human activity on a global scale. Additionally, it allows for the expression of difficult emotions associated with solastalgia - feelings of stress and suffering caused by environmental change, as well as nostalgia and longing for a lost “home”.
Is this a farewell to the fish?
Is it a farewell to our human civilization?
The exhibition was mainly guided by the theatrical thought, which was derived from the author's experience and work in the field of theatre. The artist creates a space for quiet and meditative reflection, by combining the visual arts and theatre. The exhibition juxtaposes a soft and romantic vision of nature, with ecological activism and offers a unique blend of artistic and emotional experience with informational, intellectual, and documentary contexts. Exhibited works stimulate different senses and comprise a unique scenography, partly created from up-cycling - materials associated with the river, fish, and elements of funerary rites. A movement and music performance by choreographer and dancer Łukasz Wójcicki as well as performer Dominika Kimaty is an integral part of the exhibition and will take place on the opening night. The performance will be conceived and directed by Pamela Leończyk.
Pamela Leończyk – director, performer, author of performative installations and theatre pedagogue. Studied Theater Directing at the Theater Academy in Warsaw. A graduate of Theater Studies and Performing Arts at the Jagiellonian University in Crakow. A scholarship holder of the New Theater Laboratory organized by the Nowy Proxima Theater in Krakow. Winner of the "New Stage" program organized by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute and the international competition for an artistic installation ANIMATUS. In tandem with Daria Sobik, winner of the Nowy Yorick (New Yorick) competition with her work “A Winter's Tale” based on W. Shakespeare. Winner of an artistic scholarship from the Mayor of Suwałki, as part of which she made a participatory documentary film about a Polish-Roma school in Suwałki. At the Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw, she directed a production of Daria Sobik's “Tęsknica” (“Longing”). In collaboration with the Association of Theatre Educators, she directed the play “Lista Uchybień” (“List of Misconduct”) by Dorota Ogrodzka, which premiered at the G. Holoubek Drama Theatre in Warsaw. At Theatre 21, she directed the play “Cukry” (“Sugars”), based on the prose of Dorota Kotas. At Teatr Nowy Proxima, she directed the play “Nocni Pływacy” [eng. Night Swimmers], which was awarded the main prize at the Pestka International Festival of Avant-Garde Theatre and Art in Jelenia Góra. She has collaborated with Teatro-i in Milan, Tasca Teatro in Turin, Klaipėdos jaunimo teatras in Klaipėda, Teatr Powszechny in Warsaw, Nowy Teatr in Warsaw, Teatr W. Horzycy Theatre in Toruń, New Proxima Theatre in Cracow, Ochota Theatre in Warsaw, Teatr Ludowy in Cracow, W. Siemaszkowa Theatre in Rzeszów, Puppet and Actor Theatre “Kubuś” in Kielce, ŁAŹNIA Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk, Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art in Słupsk.
Łukasz Wójcicki - performer, dancer, actor, choreographer, artivist, animator of contr-culture, researcher dramatist. Graduate of III Academy Of Theatrical Practices “Gardzienice”, a two-year course of “Experimental Choreography” by Centrum w Ruchu (Center in Motion) Collective and IC School For A New Dance Development of the Theatre and Dance Academy in Amsterdam University of the Arts. His area of interest is the politics of the body, social choreography, deconstruction of privilege, patriarchy and normativity. He explores new forms of presence in the context of environmental catastrophe, the crisis of capitalism and decolonisation. Performer and dancer in Komuna/Warszawa Theater Company in 2008-18. Performer and director assistant of Marta Górnicka’s “Chór kobiet” (Women’s Choir) „RequieMaszyna” (“RequiemMachine”) spectacle in 2013-16. Since 2016 performer and choreographer of social-artistic activities of Strefa WolnoSłowa Foundation where he works with the Warsaw migrant community and 60+ individuals. Laureate of Europe Beyond Access program “Dance and Disability. Crossing the borders” (2020), Visegrad Artist Residency Program—Performing Arts (2021) and City of Warsaw artistic scholarship (2022). Since 2019 connected to Laboratorium Teatralno-Społecznym Stowarzyszenia Pedagogów Teatru (Theatre-Social Laboratory of the Association of Theatre Educators).
https://lukaszwojcicki.noblogs.org/
Dominika Kimaty - actress, performer, graduate of Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Teatralna w Krakowie (State Higher School of Theatre in Cracow). She received an award for the role of Masha in her diploma performance “The Seagull” directed by Natalia Sołtysik at the XXVII Festival of Theatre Schools in Łódź. She made her debut in the theatre of Anna Augustynowicz - the role of Monique in the play “Getsemani”, for which she received a distinction at the Festival of the Art of Acting in Kalisz. She has been awarded with numerous scholarships, including Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in Poland (Scholarship from the Fund for Promotion of Creativity), the Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship and the Mayor of the City of Białystok (Young Creators' Scholarship). She creates independent performances and has so far realised: “Illusions” by Ivan Vyrypayev (directed by S. Buttny), “Superheroine. The Beginning” (dir. Agata Dyczko) live act - performance - reinterpretation of the myth of the Superhero in the context of a woman artist. She sang as “nika_kima spod prysznica” (“nika_kima from under the shower”) during a series of events: Lech starter. White Clean Cultural - a river for the inhabitants. She also created a musical performance inspired by the work of Stanisław Dróżdż, “Do powiem. dośpiewam się” https://www.facebook.com/events/204042637194959/ (screening at the Arsenał Gallery in Białystok). She co-created the project “Musical about the musical Metro” directed by Rob Wasiewicz in Komuna Warszawa theatre. Graduate of the Experimental Choreography course organised by Centrum w ruchu in Warsaw (Centre in motion) (tutors: Marysia Stokłosa, Marta Ziółek, Anna Nowak). She has also participated in numerous workshops on working with the body, including Alternative Dance Academy - Art Stations Foundation, Creative Laboratories - Movements Factory Foundation and Polish Dance Theatre. She has collaborated with many theatres, including the Contemporary Theatre in Szczecin, the Contemporary Theatre in Wrocław, the Jewish Theatre in Warsaw and the Shakespeare Theatre in Gdańsk. Her latest premiere is the performance “Wolne ciała” (“Free Bodies” directed and choreographed by Marta Ziółek (co-production: Nowy Teatr in Warsaw, Teatr St. Zeromski in Kielce, Teatr St. Żeromskiego in Kielce, Łaźnia Nowa Theatre from Cracow). This year's graduate of the Documentary Theatre Course at the Jerzy Grotowski Institute in Wrocław. Author of a documentary script on the subject of artist - mothers.