“Body & skin: exploration of the human form – quest for new dimensions of perception, sensibility in movement and performance art”
High School of Fine Arts at the Artistic Craft School Complex in Jelenia Góra
OBJECTIVE:
Expanding students’ horizons to include forms of artistic expression such as land art, movement art, experimentation with light and sound, and discovering new possibilities for using the body and skin in art.
ACTIONS:
- studio equipment: overhead projector, graphics tablets, photography lamps, art, and body painting supplies;
- movement and performance workshop;
- computer graphics workshop: creation of digital images;
- preparation of works using sculpture and glass F;
- preparation of stage design and choreography;
- staging a performative play in the Norwegian Park in Cieplice, with ex post notes provided by the curator of the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra;
- analysis and evaluation of artistic activities;
- preparation of an exhibition and catalogue documenting the project.
Project author’s inspirations
DESCRIPTION:
Students will participate in a movement and performance workshop and a computer graphics workshop. They will prepare stage design and choreography for a land art performance, combining the digital work techniques they learn during the workshop with traditional art. Students from the craft school will also be invited to participate in the play. The play will be staged in the Cieplice park. The Curator from the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra will present the post-performance notes. The project will end by opening the exhibition and highlighting the catalogue, documenting the entire creative and performative process.
OBSERVING THE COMPETITION THEME: “What’s new in art?”
The project highlights young artists’ expression through the creation of new forms of art by combining movement art, land art, and performance with make-up, sculpture, glass, specifically focusing on using the body and skin. All combined with the use of graphic tablets as modern art tools.
FINAL EFFECT
A performative play staged in the Norwegian Park in Cieplice.
IMPLEMENTATION
The project team started work on 25 September 2023 by preparing the concept, creating a schedule of actions, and building an organisational structure for the project, with specific responsibilities being divided amongst the team members. The students decided to change the venue for the performative play. They decided that the performance would be recorded at the Cieplice Embankment but would premiere in the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra. Before the performance, the students participated in substantive lectures: Roksana Plesner, a biology teacher, presented the subject of the body and skin in a biological aspect, while Małgorzata Amarowicz, the attending teacher, spoke about performance art and land art. She also conducted a happening with the students of grades 1F, 2F, and grades 2, 3, and 5 of the High School of Fine Arts, entitled “Our tribute to art”, involving painting bananas, oranges, and watermelons, and exploring the “skin” of these fruits.
“Our tribute to art” workshop
“Our tribute to art” workshop
“Our tribute to art” workshop
In October, a performance workshop that exceeded the school curriculum was conducted at the final exhibition venue of the project, the BWA Gallery on the Jelenia Góra market square. The choreography and stage movements for the final performance were created. 5th grade students at the High School of Fine Arts, Martyna Grzesiak and Julia Szczygieł, and a 2nd grade student, Marika Burmistrz, were responsible for this part.
At the same time, the attending teacher, together with a 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Julia Szczygieł, purchased all the necessary art supplies for the project. As part of the project, a 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Jakub Wygański, created a video entitled “Buried”. He used it to depict the burial of painting canvases and waiting for nature to interact with them. A 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Luba Jaskólska, created an original work entitled “Portrait”, presented at the BWA Gallery during the project’s finale.
“Portrait”, Luba Jaskólska, a 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts
Elements of the stage design, such as a hut created from sticks and branches collected in the forest, were prepared, and recorded by a 2nd grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Marika Burmistrz. A 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Julianna Pętlicka, was responsible for choosing the music. The costumes, flesh-coloured outfits, overalls and dresses were prepared by a teacher, Marta Bartos. Painting and drawing were done in the school’s painting studio, led by a teacher, Katarzyna Klafta. Sculpting and casting was done by a student, Jakub Wygański, in the sculpture workshop. Glass elements were made in the glass workshop. From 2 October to 7 November, photo and video material was shot for the recording of the performance at the Cieplice Embankment. Simultaneously, Małgorzata Amarowicz led a graphics workshop consisting of experiments with computer graphics with the use of graphics tablets. Digital images were created and printed.
A recorded performance entitled “Body & Skin: Exploration of the Human Form” – produced on the Cieplice Embankment in Jelenia Góra. Students Martyna Grzesiak, Julia Szczygieł, Marika Burmistrz and a teacher, Małgorzata Amarowicz, act in the performance, exploring various aspects of the human form through artistic movement and expression. The film documents the recorded performance created as part of the educational and artistic project awarded in the 5th edition of the Starak Family Foundation’s “Wena” Grant Programme Competition for the 2023/2024 school year..
A collage, made of different body parts of the project participants, was created, entitled “Installation No 1”, or Human of many bodies, with the concept and editing by a 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Julianna Pętlicka. The aim was to draw attention to body colour, disease - hypopigmentation spots, destruction; photography by Danuta Bocheńska with the participation of students of the Photography and Multimedia-focused grade 2F.
“Installation No 1”, Human of many bodies, a collage made of different body parts of the project participants,
concept and editing by a 5th grade student at the High School of Fine Arts, Julianna Pętlicka
All participants, as well as their schoolteachers, engaged in finding and collecting props (e.g. plates, curtains) and artistic materials using sculpture and glass.
Elements of the performance scenography collected with the involvement of students and teachers of the school
The scope of the project changed as far as responding to and accepting the ideas presented by the students. Openness to the participants’ submissions fostered the development of their creativity and artistic skills. This strengthened the commitment of each participant and increased their sense of self-worth within the project.
– says Małgorzata Amarowicz, the attending teacher
The project officially concluded during the finale, which took place on 9 November 2023 at the Bureau of Artistic Exhibitions (BWA) Gallery in Jelenia Góra. This brough amazing excitement amongst the students and teachers, and thanks to the principal of the school, Anna Szydłowska-Robak, the remaining students had their lessons shortened to be able to participate in such an important event in the life of the school. The opening exhibition was attended by many visitors, including the Mayor of Jelenia Góra Jerzy Łużniak, city councillors, officials, institutions cooperating with the school, artists, and partner schools.
Poster promoting the project, created by students
From the left: Anna Szydłowska-Robak, principal of the school, and Luiza Laskowska, head of the BWA Gallery
A performative play during the final presentation of a project in the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra
A performative play during the final presentation of a project in the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra
Elements of the performative play stage design
A performative play during the final presentation of a project in the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra
Jerzy Łużniak, Mayor of Jelenia Góra, who visited the opening exhibition, mentioned the project on social media,
commenting on the student’s involvement and the role played by the Starak Family Foundation’s patronage
The opening was attended by a large number of visitors
Wiesława Giedrojć of the Starak Family Foundation congratulates the students
participating in the project
Project team during the opening at the BWA Gallery in Jelenia Góra
The project was finally concluded on 20 November 2023, as the project team met and created the final documentation. Although it has been formally concluded, the project continues to live on in our community, and we are looking forward to a re-performance opportunity, as well as another edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition. We are currently seeking out local venues that support alternative arts and organise arts picnics, focusing on a variety of cultural activities. We plan to hold a re-performance together with an exhibition during a picnic – maybe Flowland – which is organised in Tarczyn near Wleń, Lower Silesia. During this event, we not only intend to present the show, but also photographic documentation, which shows the behind-the-scenes and captures the essence of our art up to this point. Continuing the project in such a way will not only go beyond allowing us to continue exploring alternative art forms, but will also enable us to share our experience with the local community. We thrive to create a space open to artists and audiences, promoting artistic diversity and inspiring audiences to interact and reflect on the human form in the context of art.
– stated Małgorzata Amarowicz, the attending teacher
RESULTS
The project produced a variety of artistic works, including digital paintings, sculptures, sketches, performances, bodypainting elements and video works. These works allowed the participants to express themselves, reflecting their individual interpretations of “Body & Skin”. Partners involved: Partnership with an art gallery (the Bureau of Artistic Exhibitions (BWA) Gallery in Jelenia Góra) was crucial in enabling the performance workshop and the final exhibition to be produced. The partner’s involvement increased the range of possibilities and significantly helped with event organisation.
The project was heavily covered in the local media, which increased the interest in the community. After the project was completed, the Mayor of Jelenia Gora created a social media post about it, which became hugely popular. Moreover, publications, coverage, and promotional material on the internet and social media majorly impacted the publicity of the event. Participation in the project not only allowed the students to gain new artistic skills, but also to develop their creative abilities, teamwork, and self-expression in the creative process. Participants were allowed to experiment, express their ideas, and develop their artistic skills in a safe and supportive environment. The project coordinator provided the participants with the freedom to act and express their own ideas, which gave way to the creation of artistic works that would have never been made within the traditional curriculum. This allowed the young artists to experiment, express their own ideas, and create works that reflected their personal view of the world.
The project triggered a deeper reflection on the relationship between the human body and nature. Our actions impacted audiences both directly, through a live presentation, and indirectly, by reaching people who had access to the project documentation. Our project highlighted the union between body and nature through land art, while works made of mirrors –which reflected nature – added a new dimension to our activities. Following the action, we analysed the results, evaluating the artistic effects.
– stated students from the project team while commenting on their participation in the project
The project was not just an opportunity for students to develop their artistic skills; it also allowed them to discover their creative potential and gain experience in teamwork. The participants were not only allowed to experiment with a variety of artistic techniques, but also to enrich their cultural and social awareness through bold self-expression.
– stated Małgorzata Amarowicz, the attending teacher
ATTENDING TEACHER
Małgorzata Amarowicz – a teacher of photography, multimedia design and basic design. She runs a mobile art studio. Her art focuses on visual arts, video installations, photo objects and body painting. As part of the project, she will conduct workshops in computer graphics, performance, prop making, and make-up and will prepare the students’ performance.
