Białowieża Forest | Volha Arkhipava

Białowieża Forest

Curator: Volha Arkhipava
Gallery Duża Scena UAP, 24 Wodna Str.
Opening: 8.12.2023, 18:00
8.12.2023 – 7.01.2024

Participants: Agata Fogtman, Alesia Bessarab, Alexey Lunev, Alherd Michalovicz, A6, Anna Maria Pilarska, Antanina Slabodchykava, Cezary Stachura, Danylo Heorhiiev, Elizaveta Gorbatsevich, Ewa Greszta, Iza Moczarna-Pasiek, Katarzyna Bagińska, Katarzyna Waraksa, Kirill Diomchev, Lizaveta Stsiatsko, Maria Krześlak, Mikita Iljińczyk, Olek Jager, Sergey Shabohin, Tasha Katsuba, Teresa Nuckowska, Zuzanna Januszko

The exhibition aims to present the “Białowieża Forest” as a special place that, while retaining its characteristics, belongs to several countries. This is an ecoregion with the conventional name “Sarmatian mixed forest”, through which the border between Poland and Belarus currently runs. A boundary that, however, does not divide the ecosystem itself.

The Białowieża Forest is the only part of our continent where a primeval, relict forest that once covered most of Europe has been preserved. Unique plants and animals existed and still exist in this place.

The exhibition will be a story about the history of cultures that is unique, just like the ecosystem of the Białowieża Forest. Over the centuries, the borders have changed, but the customs specific to this region still exist.

There were many common events, concepts, phenomena and symbols, heroes in the culture of Poland and Belarus… I want to show that our cultural heritage and its current potential has the power to cross borders without violating them.

The project PerspAKTIV is implemented in cooperation with RAZAM, Ambasada Kultury and Galeria Miejska Arsenał with financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office.