Blog for the international research project "Our Mythical Childhood… The Reception of Classical Antiquity in Children’s and Young Adults’ Culture in Response to Regional and Global Challenges", financed by the ERC Consolidator Grant led by Prof. Katarzyna Marciniak, Faculty of "Artes Liberales" of the University of Warsaw. Team members: Prof. Susan Deacy and Steve K. Simons, University of Roehampton; Prof. Elizabeth Hale and Dr Miriam Riverlea, University of New England; Prof. Lisa Maurice and Dr Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University; Prof. Daniel A. Nkemleke, Dr Divine Che Neba and Dr Eleanor A. Dasi, University of Yaoundé I; Dr Elżbieta Olechowska, Dr Hanna Paulouskaya, Dr Sonya Nevin, Dott. Edoardo Pecchini, Marta Pszczolińska, Angelina Gerus and the Project Officers: Magdalena Andersen, Maria Makarewicz, and Olga Strycharczyk from the Faculty of "Artes Liberales" UW.
We are pleased to announce that the Jury of the 3rd edition of “Antiquity-Camera-Action!” (motif “Ecology”) decided to award the following teams:
1st prize – for the group “Bogowie z Zana” from the 1st Tomasz Zan High School with Bilingual Branches in Wschowa for the movie “You want to change the world – start with yourself”. The Jury appreciated the interesting script, the involvement of young members, surprising changes in the plot, situational humor, the choice of costumes, props, and the setting of the action.
Team tutor: Tomasz Wojnarowski
Movie with English subtitles
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2nd prize – for the “Akcja Animacja” group from the Social School Complex of the Social Educational Society in Szczecinek for the film “Eco-myths”. The Jury appreciated the use of interesting animation, a good selection of mythological characters and a suggestive message related to the protection of the environment.
Team tutor: Jolanta Sierpińska
Animation
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3rd prize – for the group “O.K. stuDio” from the Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński High School in Nowa Sól for the film “(Un)divine fault” directed by Olivia Kościuszko. The Jury appreciated the courage in creating the film in a form simillar to TikTok convention, the interesting selection of characters and costumes, and above all, very professional and original lyrics of the song.
Team tutor: Iwona Paszkowska
Movie with Polish subtitles
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Special award – for the Akcja Animacja (Juniors) group from the Social School Complex of the Social Educational Society in Szczecinek for the film “Eco-gods”. The Jury accepted the movie for the evaluation outside the official competition due to the age categories in the regulations, appreciating the originality of the illustrations, interesting composition, and the important message.
Team tutor: Jolanta Sierpińska
Animation
Congratulations!
The award ceremony and workshops organized for the participants were held online on 27-28 April 2021. The workshops were led by Dr Agnieszka Korytkowska, the Head of the Jury Krzysztof Korwin-Piotrowski, Dr Michał Oleszczyk, and Dr Maria Wiśniewska with the Laboratory Leadership – Green Artes. It was an amazing and inspiring time for all of us!
Post elaborated by Dorota Rejter.
Pictures above – courtesy of the 1st Tomasz Zan High School with Bilingual Branches in Wschowa.
For the presentation of the project “Green Artes” at the Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, University of Warsaw see also here:
Sketches from Olympus to Be Seen in the University of Warsaw Gallery
On 29th April the exhibition “Sketching on Olympus” was inaugurated at the University of Warsaw Gallery in the UW Library (BUW). It accompanies the Our Mythical Natureconference within the Our Mythical Childhood… The Reception of Classical Antiquity in Children’s and Young Adults’ Culture in Response to Regional and Global Challenges project at the Faculty of “Artes Liberales” UW. The exhibition presents works by children from Belarus and Ukraine, currently living in Warsaw, on Greek mythology and more. These drawings were created during classes in an art studio for children “Цёплы круг” (The Warm Circle).
Exhibition poster
The studio “The Warm Circle” was founded in September 2020 by two Belarusian artists from Minsk, graduates of the Belarusian Academy of Fine Arts: Tatiana Karpachova and Liza Mikhadziuk. Currently, 13 children aged between 5 and 15 years old attend the studio. The aim of the studio is to teach children the basics of drawing and painting in a comfortable atmosphere of concentration, creative joy, and inner peace. The studio creates the conditions for sharing energy and experience, while at the same time developing the ability to think outside the box and releasing creativity by spending time in an artistic environment.
Tatiana Karpachova, Liza Mikhadziuk and Olga Anisko at the exhibition. All photos have been published with the consent of the project participants (or their parents).
Tatiana Karpachova and Liza Mikhadziuk. All photos have been published with the consent of the project participants (or their parents).
During the classes, the children worked on different themes: “Warsaw”, “Self-portrait”, “Home”, “Hokku”, “Japanese still life”, etc.
In order to create the exhibition “Sketching on Olympus”, the children and their teachers, armed with the necessary equipment: paintbrushes, pencils, paper, and an inexhaustible imagination, spent a month exploring Mount Olympus in order to tell us, the viewers, what “really” happened there. Beforehand, the children listened to the myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome and familiarized themselves with the works on the subject of the most prominent artists of the world.
Michał Racewicz and his artwork. All photos have been published with the consent of the project participants (or their parents).Władzisława Racewicz and her artwork. All photos have been published with the consent of the project participants (or their parents).
In studying the mythological characters in detail, many difficult questions arose. Could the royal shepherd Faustulus, who raised Romulus and Remus, have had a woollen overcoat? Was Medusa Gorgona’s entire body covered in scales and how long were her nails? If the Minotaur had the head of a bull, was his body hairy? Why did the Minotaur eat so rarely (once in seven years)? Why do all the paintings and sculptures by prominent artists have curly hair?
Children’s creativity is full of improvisation and experimentation, hence the Minotaur here does have horns, but his head is square, and the Labyrinth at Knossos is a room with many doors. The comic book which illustrates the journey of Theseus is also worth mentioning – try to find Ariadne in it. In the exhibition we meet Theseus fighting the Minotaur, Medusa playing with stone men, a modern Narcissus wearing a mask but dressed according to 15th-century fashion, and a Narcissus so beautiful that even birds fly away at the sight of him.
The curator of the exhibition is Olga Anisko.
Cooperation with Belarusian scientists, students, and artists has been coordinated for years by Dr Hanna Paulouskaya.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr Tomasz Strączek, the Director of the University of Warsaw Gallery, for his invitation, hospitality, and assistance in organizing the exhibition.
We also wish to express our gratitude to the “Artes Liberales Institute” Foundation for its financial support which made the exhibition possible.
The exhibition is on display at the University of Warsaw Gallery in the main hall of the University of Warsaw Library (BUW) until June 28, 2021. Here on the blog, we are pleased to share all the works online for all those who are outside of Warsaw or cannot move freely due to the pandemic.
Gallery
Замалёўкі з Алімпу ў Галерэі Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта
29 красавіка ў Галерэі Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта, якая знаходзіцца ў універсітэцкай бібліятэцы, адбылося адкрыццё выставы “Szkicowanie na Olimpie” (“Замалёўкі на Алімпе”). Выстава прымеркавана да канферэнцыі Our Mythical Natureў межах праекта Our Mythical Childhood… The Reception of Classical Antiquity in Children’s and Young Adults’ Culture in Response to Regional and Global Challenges, якая праводзіцца факультэтам “Artes Liberales” Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта. На выставе прадстаўлены працы дзяцей з Беларусі і Ўкраіны, якія цяпер жывуць у Варшаве. Гэта малюнкі па матывах грэчаскай міфалогіі, а таксама на іншыя тэмы, якія былі створаны падчас заняткаў мастацкай студыі для дзяцей “Цёплы круг”.
Студыя “Цёплы круг” была арганізавана ў верасні 2020 года двума беларускімі мастачкамі з Мінска, выпускніцамі Беларускай дзяржаўнай акадэміі мастацтваў: Таццянай Карпачовай і Лізаветай Міхадзюк. Зараз у студыі навучаецца 13 дзяцей ва ўзросце ад 5 да 15 гадоў. Мэта студыі – у камфортнай атмасферы сканцэнтраванай працы і настрою творчай радасці і душэўнага спакою перадаць дзецям моцную базу малюнка і жывапісу. Студыя – гэта магчымасць дзяліцца сваёй энергіяй і досведам, адначасова развіваць уменне нестандартна мысліць і раскрываць свой творчы патэнцыял, праводзячы час у мастацкім асяроддзі.
На занятках навучэнцы працавалі над рознымі тэмамі: “Варшава”, “Аўтапартрэт”, “Дом”, “Хоку”, “Японскі нацюрморт” і г.д.
Спецыяльна да выставы “Szkicowanie na Olimpie” дзеці разам са сваімі настаўніцамі, узяўшы з сабою неабходнае абсталяванне: пэндзлікі, алоўкі, паперу і невычэрпнае натхненне, прысвяцілі месяц даследаванню Алімпу, каб расказаць нам, гледачам, як “усё было насамрэч”. А папярэдне дзеці праслухалі міфы і легенды Старажытнай Грэцыі і Рыма і азнаёміліся з працамі выбітных сусветных мастакоў на дадзеную тэматыку.
Падчас падрабязнага знаёмства з міфалагічнымі героямі паўстала мноства сур’ёзных пытанняў. Ці мог каралеўскі пастух Фаўстул, які выхоўваў Ромула і Рэма, мець ваўняны кажух? Ці ўсё цела Медузы Гаргоны было пакрыта луской і якой даўжыні ў яе былі пазногці? Калі ў Мінатаўра была галава быка, то ці было ў яго валасатае тулава? Чаму Мінатаўр так рэдка еў (адзін раз у 7 гадоў)? Чаму на карцінах і скульптурах выбітных мастакоў усе маюць кучаравыя валасы?
Дзіцячая крэатыўнасць напоўнена імправізацыяй і эксперыментамі, таму Мінатаўр тут хоць і з рагамі, але галава ў яго квадратнай формы, а Кноскі Лабірынт – гэта памяшканне з мноствам дзвярэй. Увагі заслугоўвае комікс, які ілюструе падарожжа Тэсея – паспрабуй знайсці ў ім Арыядну. У экспазіцыі сустракаем Тэсея, які змагаецца з Мінатаўрам, Медузу, якая гуляе каменнымі чалавечкамі, сучаснага Нарцыса ў масцы, але апранутага па модзе XV стагоддзя, а таксама Нарцыса, прыгожага настолькі, што ад яго выгляду разлятаюцца нават птушкі.
Куратарка выставы – Вольга Аніська.
Супрацоўніцтва з беларускімі навукоўцамі, студэнтамі і мастакамі каардынуе кандыдат навук Ганна Паўлоўская.
Вялікі дзякуй доктару Томашу Стрончку, дырэктару Галерэі Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта, за запрашэнне, гасціннасць і дапамогу ў арганізацыі выставы.
Мы таксама хацелі б выразіць нашу ўдзячнасць Фундацыі “Інстытут Artes Liberales” за фінансавую падтрымку, якая дазволіла ажыццявіць ідэю выставы.
Шчыра запрашаем на выставу, якую можна паглядзець у Галерэі Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта ў галоўным холе Бібліятэцы Варшаўскага ўніверсітэта да 28 чэрвеня 2021 года. Для тых, хто жыве не ў Варшаве, і ўсіх, хто не можа прыехаць з-за пандэміі, публікуем усе працы онлайн.
Pracownia „Ciepły krąg” została założona we wrześniu 2020 roku przez dwie białoruskie artystki z Mińska, absolwentki Białoruskiej Akademii Sztuk Pięknych: Tatianę Karpaczową i Lizę Mikhadziuk. Obecnie do pracowni uczęszcza 13 dzieci w wieku od 5 do 15 lat. Celem pracowni jest w komfortowej atmosferze skupienia oraz nastroju twórczej radości i spokoju wewnętrznego przekazać dzieciom solidne podstawy rysunku i malarstwa. Pracownia stwarza warunki do dzielenia się swoją energią i doświadczeniem, jednocześnie rozwijając umiejętność nieszablonowego myślenia i wyzwalania kreatywności poprzez spędzanie czasu w środowisku artystycznym.
Na zajęciach w pracowni dzieci pracowały nad różnymi tematami: „Warszawa”, „Autoportret”, „Dom”, „Hokku”, „Japońska martwa natura” itd.
Na potrzeby wystawy „Szkicowanie na Olimpie” dzieci wraz z ich nauczycielkami, uzbroiwszy się w niezbędny sprzęt: pędzle, ołówki, papier i niewyczerpaną wyobraźnię, poświęciły miesiąc na badanie Olimpu, aby opowiedzieć nam, widzom, co tak „naprawdę” tam się wydarzyło. Wcześniej zaś dzieci wysłuchały mitów i legend starożytnej Grecji i Rzymu oraz zapoznały się z dziełami wybitnych światowych artystów o danej tematyce.
Przy szczegółowym zapoznawaniu się z mitologicznymi bohaterami zrodziło się wiele trudnych pytań. Czy królewski pasterz Faustulus, który wychował Remulusa i Remusa, mógł mieć wełniany kożuch? Czy całe ciało Meduzy Gorgony było pokryte łuskami i jak długie były jej paznokcie? Jeśli Minotaur miał głowę byka, to czy jego ciało było owłosione? Dlaczego Minotaur jadł tak rzadko (raz na siedem lat)? Dlaczego na obrazach i rzeźbach wybitnych artystów wszyscy mają kręcone włosy?
Dziecięca kreatywność przepełniona jest improwizacją i eksperymentami, stąd Minotaur tutaj wprawdzie posiada rogi, ale za to głowę ma kwadratową, a Labirynt w Knossos jest pomieszczeniem z wieloma drzwiami. Na uwagę zasługuje komiks, który ilustruje podróż Tezeusza – spróbuj odnaleźć w nim Ariadnę. Na wystawie spotkamy Tezeusza walczącego z Minotaurem, Meduzę bawiącą się z kamiennymi ludzikami, współczesnego Narcyza w masce, ale ubranego zgodnie z XV-wieczną modą, oraz Narcyza tak pięknego, że nawet ptaki odlatują na jego widok.
Kuratorką wystawy jest Olga Anisko.
Współpracę z białoruskimi naukowcami, studentami i artystami od lat koordynuje Dr Hanna Paulouskaya.
Z całego serca wyrażamy podziękowania dla Pana Dr Tomasza Strączka, Dyrektora Galerii UW, za zaproszenie, gościnność i pomoc w organizacji wystawy.
Chcielibyśmy również wyrazić wdzięczność Fundacji „Instytut Artes Liberales” za wsparcie finansowe umożliwiające realizację wystawy.
Serdecznie zapraszamy na wystawę, którą można zobaczyć w Galerii UW w głównym holu BUWu do 28 czerwca 2021. Dla osób spoza Warszawy, a także dla wszystkich, którzy nie mogą przemieszczać się z powodu pandemii, zamieszczamy komplet prac online.
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