2024
installation, banners, lightboxes, on-camera performance

Will European mindfulness gurus and Bali meditation enthusiasts find a new favourite spot in Tricity? Zakopane has long lost its health resort status, so perhaps it’s time for Niedźwiednik to become the new spa. Admittedly, there are no graduation towers here, but weary pilgrims and travellers can still rest at the top of the mountain. There is a gazebo that locals call the “shepherd’s hut”, though it could just as well be a temple from Bali.

Gentrification? An invasion of tech bros after Open’er Festival? None of this has reached the top of Niedźwiednik yet, but perhaps it’s just a matter of time. Artists from Warsaw have started showing up; soon, they may be followed by food-sharing concepts and yoga classes on the local football grounds. Next up: the official opening of a new Żabka store to unite the estate.

In the meantime, Niedźwiednik is visited by a healer, spiritual guide, and self-help TikTok guru, who invites you to read streams of thought from deep within the spa bear’s subconscious. The meditation draws on breathing exercises inspired by mountain spa traditions. To maximise the quality of healing services and thus enhance the spiritual experience of Niedźwiednik’s residents, the coach has explored local discussion forums, neighbourhood groups, Google reviews, notice boards and signs. Based on these sources, she created the “manifestations” and “affirmations” displayed on the banners and lightboxes adorning the “shepherd’s hut”.

What is the price of mystical experience, spiritual cleansing, and life balance?

Forget about others, focus on yourself, listen closely to the mentor’s words – manifest, affirm, visualise, fulfil goals, conquer peaks… Stand in front of the mirror, take a deep breath, and say with full conviction: “Now I’m going to do something for MYSELF!”. Then, embark on a two-day journey around Niedźwiednik, where you will truly take care of yourself and rediscover who you are…

MELANIE URBAN (b. 1998) is a visual artist who draws inspiration from OLX notices and poetic buffet reviews on Trip Advisor. Her texts have an abstract style, incorporating a diverse range of seemingly random and incoherent images. Fascinated by online culture and her suburban upbringing, she aspires to become a connoisseur of online junk.