Workshops Of Revolution

One month situation curated and organized by Zofia nierodzińska from Galeria Miejska Arsenał, Teatr Ósmego Dnia and Estrada Poznańska.

Fragment of the curatorial text by Zofia nierodzińska:

Public happiness means a sharing of utopian moments where it seems that reality can still be changed. Happiness in the sense Hannah Arendt gives it is the possibility of participating in world events. In spite of post-enthusiastic melancholy, revolution is precisely about this joy derived from collective action regardless of the effects it produces; revolution is about demanding access to rights, the abolition of privileges, it is about egalitarian concern for one another and a closeness that allows one to transcend one's sense of alienation. The revolutionary power of happiness lies precisely in these transgressions overcoming the barriers of fear brought about by systemic injustice, thus enabling the solidarity of the oppressed to be established. The collectives invited to contribute to Workshops of Revolution, such as The Army of Love, Bojka Collective, Feminist Health Care Research Group, Consortium of Postartistic Practices (KPP), or Gyne Punk postulate to take the perspective of the sick, the elderly, the marginalized and to become aware of the existence of privilege in order to dismantle the regime of normatively beautiful and healthy bodies dominating over those systemically excluded. The Army of Love proposes a radical re-evaluation of what has hitherto defined the independent, 'normative' human subject, namely its demasculinisation. Here, the principle of competitiveness is replaced by cooperation and the urge to dominate by a desire that transcends heteronormative schemes.

On the 50th anniversary of May 1968, which in Poland started in March, this public experience of happiness will be the principal feature of Workshops of Revolution.

more on: https://arsenal.art.pl/en/exhibition/workshops-of-revolution/

Translation: Vanessa Gravenor

The first of six photographs documenting the exhibition Workshops of Revolution' shows eight colourful posters designed by the Bękarty studio. The posters are in bright colours: yellow, green and pink. The handwritten lettering on them announces the events and workshops during the exhibition. The second photograph documents the workshop of the Army of Love collective that took place in the exhibition space. A dozen people sit and lie on the red carpet. Around them hang colourful posters on recycled wooden constructions. The picture shows people in a fountain. It is a sunny day. The people are mostly wearing swimsuits, but some are wearing clothes. Four people are doing an exercise of resting their whole body weight on the back of another person. The whole thing looks fun and a bit unusual. The photograph is a portrait of two Black, female-looking people, taken outside in the city's old town. It is a sunny day. The persons are smiling and pointing their hands upwards. Behind them is a statue and next to it stands a person selling colourful balloons. The image shows a person dressed in black holding a light purple poster with black letters: Political Feelings. The poster was made by the collective: Feminist Health Care Research Group. The last photograph documents a workshop run by a group of people with and without disabilities. Several people are sitting on a red carpet, on chairs or in wheelchairs. They are wearing summer clothes. It is a sunny day. The sun illuminates the exhibition space in the gallery. Behind the people are colourful posters hung on a wooden construction.