Magdalena Angulska
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Urban Nettle
Urban Nettle is an interference in spatial with elements of site-specific installation, located in the former, inoperative cinema “Tęcza” in Żoliborz (Warsaw, Poland).
Within the artistic activity for one day cinema opened its doors to the public.
Spectators ware invited to the Cinema, but Cinema hall was packed with growing nettle, that all entrances was blocked. The spectator can cross the border between the hall and screening room but it would be painfull. Inside the screening room, in the twilight, on the place of a former screen was displayed large format movie. Video was recorded during artists 30 birthday. Constant frame with view on grooving nettle on her balcony.
The action was designed to show dimensionality of image perception introduced in an intimate narration and the dilapidated hovel atmosphere highlighted the apocalyptic dimension of the whole artwork. Nettle represents the duality of functions. It is a herb and weed at the same time. It grows ruderal habitats, slowly overgrown abandoned places. Stinging, ugly, with coarse leaves, this “product” considerably differs from the mainstream aesthetic canons. Unfriendly, inaccessible, inconvenient…
KINO TĘCZA - In early 90's it was the place of activities Akademia Ruchu (‘Academy of Movement’), a group operating at the intersection between art and theater. The group have consistently pursued the ‘politicization of aesthetics’, as a strategy to engage with a general public and have engaged in insightful reflections on communist and post-communist Poland. Besides cinema was directed by Wojciech Krukowski and it was an experimental space with a very wide spectrum of activities. This is where took place international festivals of theater, shows Japanese butoh, panels devoted to Chechnya or Old French and punk music concerts.
In 1997 the cinema was closed in controversial circumstances. This ended the history of the Warsaw, artistic underground.