First Edition

The project "For nature and man - repayment of debt" was awarded a grant in the first edition of the "Wena" Grant Program competition. The pandemic did not allow its implementation until June of 2021 when young people were finally able to present their works at open-air exhibitions, where their environmental protection message and opposition to widespread environmental devastation was expressed in a spectacular and explicit manner. Through their "cry", young people gave a clear signal that the climate catastrophe is a real threat to their lives and future. Speaking the language of art, using various techniques, the authors of the project created artistic objects on the premises of the Rybaczówka in Złoty Potok in the Polish Jurassic Highland (Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska). 

 

The choice for the location of the project was deliberate because, against the background of a beautiful natural landscape, the presentation of ecological threats gained an additional dimension and blunt character.  

 

The project had a wide social impact because the timing of the presentation coincided with the time of excursions and so-called "green schools" of children traveling from all over Poland to the Polish Jurassic Highland. Trippers and individual tourists, traversing the beautiful tourist routes of the Polish Jurassic Highland, visited Rybaczówka in order to see the presented works and listen to texts written by young people, which constituted a kind of manifesto against the climate catastrophe which we are all responsible for. It is high time to say stop! 

 

Wiesława Giedrojć, representing the Starak Family Foundation in Złoty Potok, thanked the young people for this beautiful project constituting an example of socially engaged art, or rather "ecological art". It is an expression of today’s youth's great commitment and an insightful and surprisingly mature look at global problems. The attitude of these young people fills us with hope that this is not a one-time happening and a one-off campaign on behalf of the natural environment. We believe that the young artists’ fight for ecology will be continued and shall bring lasting effects.

 

Venus from the mud

Water - a beautiful gift of nature desecrated by pollution of consumer societies.

Clock

Ready-made referring to a clock counting down the time to climate catastrophe.

 

Letters from Earth 

A series of paintings by young artists - as a vision of the planet and an expression of emotional fear.

 

Net in a net 

A fishing net full of plastic caps expresses opposition to ubiquitous plastic pollution of the environment. It was man who created the net, which was supposed to make our lives easier, yet man cannot handle an ordinary net, into which non-degradable waste is thrown. We have a perfect civilization, but also a plastic vs. living creature dilemma. 

 

 

Plastic Nymphs 

Two artists of the happening present themselves as catwalk models in outfits made entirely out of waste. Desirable, very expensive outfits made from artificial materials are "works of art”, but only for a moment. After a short presentation, they become waste, fueling the spiral of consumerism. Where is the limit?

 

 

DRAGON - SMOG

The authors of this installation invite you to enter the inside of a dragon, a cardboard, tin beast. Inside, a smoky space awaits us, and at the end, an old mirror, in which the human creator of the "monster" can look at himself. The play on words: Dragon („Smok” in Polish) - Smog is self-explanatory.

 

Indestructible shrimp 

An object made of plastic. Man leaves behind non-degradable plastics. We don't live in symbiosis with nature. Nature provides us with water, air, plants, and man in return gives us synthetic evil.

Inhumans

Installation of figures created from waste, resembling humans. 

Human - take a look inside the world which you have created by leaving heaps of plastic behind. Where are you going? What is your goal? 

 

 

 

In the first stage of the project, the entire school, both pupils and invited guests participated in the vernissage and lectures on the subject of protecting the planet. Students and teachers presented, during panel discussions, various issues concerning the environment. Among others, the following lectures were held: "What is global warming all about?”, "The effects of human activity and natural changes in nature", "Do we still have a chance to help nature, can we still do something? This event was accompanied by a vernissage of paintings. The paintings were presented in the school gallery.

  

Joanna Przygoda - Teacher and originator of the project. Artist, an active member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP), conducts classes in drawing and painting at school, has brought up many generations of artists.

 

Below are selected works presented at the Earth Day exhibition: