Statement from collaborators of Biennale Warszawa
4.06.2020
As co-creators of the Biennale Warszawa programming – authors of projects and their participants – we firmly and categorically object to the political campaign launched against Biennale Warszawa, and indirectly against the municipal authorities of Warsaw.
We firmly and categorically object to accusations and threats made by politicians and government-controlled media against Biennale – a cultural institution which conducts artistic, educational and research programme that serves the expansion of the public debate and introduction of novel ideas into circulation, and which is an institution consistently founded on such values as equality, diversity, social justice, ecology, and opposition to violence and discrimination.
We firmly and categorically object to dissemination of false information and ridiculous accusations against Biennale Warszawa, to using them in the election campaign and for political purposes, and to using the likenesses of the participants of Biennale’s artistic projects in manipulated media messages.
We firmly and categorically object to the use of tragic evens unfolding in the United States – turbulent social protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officers and President Donald Trump’s unfounded attribution of the responsibility for the riots to Antifa – for attacking persons, institutions and organisations which conduct antifascist and antiracist activities in Poland.
Finally, we firmly and categorically object to the undermining of values which lie at the root of Poland’s identity as an independent and democratic state: freedom to create, freedom to debate, solidarity with the oppressed and firm condemnation of any kind of violence.
Warsaw, 4 June 2020
Signed:
Szymon Adamczak, artist, dramatist
dr Agata Adamiecka-Sitek, The Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw
dr Teodor Ajder, co-founder and editor “Mămăliga de Varșovia”
dr hab. Monika Bakke, Professor at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Faculty of Philosophy
Wiesław Bartkowski, Institute of Design and Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of the SWPS University
dr Joanna Bednarek, philosopher, author
Edwin Bendyk, journalist and columnist, “Polityka” weekly
Marek Beylin, publicist
dr Marta Bryś, Faculty of Polish Studies, Jagiellonian University
dr Paweł Bukowski, London School of Economics and Political Science
dr Anna R. Burzyńska, Faculty of Polish Studies, Jagiellonian University; editors of the theatre journal Didaskalia
Olga Byrska, European University Institute
Max Cegielski, journalist and author
Ewa Chomicka, Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews
dr Katarzyna Czeczot, Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Anna Dąbrowska, president of the Homo Faber association
Michał Dąbrowski, graphic designer
Maja Demska, curator, designer
Aneta Derkacz, economist
dr Maja Dobiasz-Krysiak, cultural anthropologist and educator
Anna Dzierzgowska, teacher
dr Agata Dziuban, Institute of Sociology of the Jagiellonian University
dr hab. Mirosław Filiciak, Professor of the SWPS University, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, SWPS University
dr Sandra Frydrysiak, Institute of Humanities, SWPS University
Jakub Gawkowski, curator, Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź
Aneta Głowacka, Faculty of Humanities, University of Silesia
Marek Golonko, cooperatism defender
Karol Grygoruk, documentary photographer, Institute of Creative Photography in Opava
Inga Hajdarowicz, Jagiellonian University
Anka Herbut, dramatist, researcher
Julia Holewińska, playwright
dr Łucja Iwanczewska, Faculty of Polish Studies, Jagiellonian University
Aleksandra Jach, curator, educator, art historian
dr hab. Paweł Kaczmarczyk, director of the Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw
Katarzyna Kalwat, theatre director
Agata Kiedrowicz, designer, curator, educator
dr hab. Witold Klaus, Professor of the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Michał Kmiecik, director, dramaturgist, dramatist
Dominika Korzeniecka
dr hab. Beata Kowalska, Professor of the Jagiellonian University, Institute of Sociology
dr hab. Joanna Krakowska, Professor of the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of the History and Theory of Theatre
dr hab. Michał Kuziak, Professor of the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Polish Studies
Aneta Kyzioł, journalist, “Polityka” weekly
dr hab. Andrzej Leder, Professor of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
dr hab. Andrzej Leśniak, Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Małgorzata Minchberg, Pole Sztuki, PhD student of the Maria Grzegorzewska University
dr Małgorzata Miśniakiewicz, art historian, curator
dr hab., prof UJ Jakub Momro, Faculty of Polish Studies, Jagiellonian University
dr hab. Piotr Morawski, Institute of Polish Culture, University of Warsaw; editors of the monthly Dialog
dr hab. Paweł Mościcki, Professor of the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Culture and Literature of Late Modernity Research Group
dr Karol Nepelski, Academy of Music in Kraków, Composition Department
dr hab. Andrzej W. Nowak, Professor of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Faculty of Philosophy
Roman Pawłowski, deputy artistic director TR Warszawa
dr Michał Pospiszyl, Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Aleksandra Rajska, theater educator
dr hab. Tomasz Rakowski, Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology,
University of Warsaw
Alicja Rogalska, artist, Goldsmiths College, University of London
Aneta Rostkowska, curator, the Temporary Gallery director at the Centre for Contemporary Art in Cologne
Stanisław Ruksza, director of TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin
Janek Simon, multimedia artist
dr Agata Siwiak, Institute of Theatre and Media Art of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
Dominik Skrzypkowski
dr hab. Jan Sowa, Faculty of Management of Visual Culture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Justyna Sobczyk and the team of Theatre 21
Jan Sobolewski, actor, performer
dr Justyna Struzik, Institute of Sociology of the Jagiellonian University
dr Magda Szcześniak, Institute of Polish Culture, University of Warsaw
Małgorzata Szczurek, chief editor, Wydawnictwo Karakter
dr Tomasz Szerszeń, Department of Cultural Anthropology, Film and Audiovisual Arts, Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences
dr Kuba Szreder, Faculty of Management of Visual Culture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Katarzyna Szyngiera, theatre director
Przemysław Wielgosz, chief editor of the Polish edition of „Le Monde diplomatique”
Bartosz Wójcik, freelancer (culture, science)
dr Łukasz Zaremba, Institute of Polish Culture, University of Warsaw
We would like to thank our collaborators for expressing their support and for this initiative. If any other co-creators of the programme would like to join the signatories of the statement, please contact us via e-mail (with your full name and affiliation) at zapisy@biennalewarszawa.pl.