Grażyna Rigall, Katarzyna Swinarska [Poland]
“The Witches Herbarium” | installation
venue: Krowoderska Str., a wall at the crossing with Długie Ogrody Str.
“The Witches Herbarium” refers directly to the historical existence of gardens that once layed along the Dlugie Ogrody street and supplied Gdańsk in fresh vegetables, fruit, and, probably, herbs. A market also functioned there, which served as a daily destination for shopping women. They cared for their loved ones so got fruit, vegetables and herbs, often for healt reasons, and then carried them home in baskets.
With “The Witches Herbarium” we also want to make a statement about harassment and execution of so- called “witches”. Women involved in herbal medicine were often victims of this practice. And it also took place in Gdansk, where the last witch- Anna Kruger- was burned at Market Drzewny in 1659.
“The Witches Herbarium” therefore, is twofold: on one hand, it is a reminder of practical tips and tales about herbal medicine, on the other hand it refers to the cultural heritage of social fear of witches- women independent and filled with botanical and medical knowledge. Visual side of the project was enriched by Magdalena Gruszczyńska`s sopran solo and several interactive surprises that Maciej Wojnicki took care of.
Katarzyna Swinarska, a graduate of the Painting Faculty at Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts, worked as a graphic desiger in an advertising studio and publishers, and as a web designer in media agencies. Since 2008, she mainly paints and works with video. She took part in numerous competitions and exhibitions.
Katarzyna got a scholarship called “Fundusz Mobilności” (2012), Scholarship of the Cultural City of Gdansk (2010), Scholarship from Marshal of Pomerania for culture (2010) and three months residency in Bellwald, Switzerland (2012). She is currently a PhD student of Fine Arts Academy in Gdansk, her promoter is prof. Henryk Cześnik.
Grazyna Rigall is a graduate of the Painting Faculty in Gdansk Academy of Fine Arts. She lectured “art classes” in Dworek Sierakowskich in Sopot. In 2007 and 2009 she participated in the “Days of Oliwa Park” doing workshops for children. She works with publishers GWO, GWP, Operon, Nowa Era, Bajka and Academy of Music in Gdansk publishers. She is an author of illustrations for children’s books and several CD covers for Tri- city artists, including Slawek Jaskułke and Wojtek Staroniewicz. She cooperated in creatind the scenery for Portable Children’s Drawing Museum and for a performance “Alice in Letterland” by Elzbieta Jeznach (Paris). She made dolls for “Sleeping Beauty” directed by Luba Zarebinska. She paints, illustrates, does installation using their dolls she makes.
