Together with Andreas Wilhelm, the theatre and performance artist Wojtek Ziemilski creates something unique - the essence of Poland. In a combination of performance and lecture, he creates dream-like landscapes featuring a cloud of real and fictitious references for the opening of the 15th edition of CULTURESCAPES. For lovers of exciting thrills and surprising twists the creation condenses a feeling, a fleeting image, an imaginary relationship into an abstract and sensual thing that is a country.
Following speeches by governing councilor Dr. Hans-Peter Wessels, Vice-Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Monika Grochowska, and Festival Director Jurriaan Cooiman, food author and culinary journalist Monika Kucia will performatively and interactively present various aspects of Polish food together with the scenographer Dominika Kulczyńska in the foyer of the Theater Basel. On an adventure trail, during short films or in the souvenir section «Take a piece of Poland», members of the audience can try, taste, touch, smell and feel – «all inclusive».
Afterwards, director Marta Górnicka's uses the choral production «Hymn to Love» to reflect on the identity discourse that has been gaining momentum in Poland and many other countries in recent years. It is a piece about Europe that is closing ranks and crying out: Give us back our country! The image of an orchestra playing music in concentration camps and the Holocaust are the starting point for Górnicka to address the rise of present-day European nationalism and the migration crisis. Marta Górnicka exposes the obscene language of modern-day politics, quoting Internet hate-speech and statements made by politicians, fundamentalists and terrorists and mashes them up with pop lyrics and patriotic songs. In «Hymn to Love», a choir of people from every background sings for a society without exclusion. Precise and rich in nuances. High art.» (Tagesspiegel)
14.00-18.00 h, Kunsthalle Basel
Performance with Alex Bacynski-Jenkins
18.00 h, Foyer Big Stage, Theater Basel
Wojtek Ziemilski, «Essence of Poland»
Speeches:
Dr. Hans-Peter Wessels, Governing councilor
Monika Grochowska, Vice-Director Adam Mickiewicz Institut
Jurriaan Cooiman, Director CULTURESCAPES
18.45 h, Foyer Big Stage, Theater Basel
Monica Kucia, «All Inclusive»
20.30 h, Big Stage, Theater Basel
Marta Górnicka, «Hymn to Love»
Afterparty
