It won’t always grow back #9

Łódź , Poland
Galeria Kobro
Invited by Ola Kozioł
Duration: 34 minutes
Photographs by Monika Deimling

Context:

The Polish language has a wonderfully concise expression: “O”. This single letter can replace entire sentences, distilling meaning with remarkable efficiency. It serves as an exclamation, a moment of realisation, or a bridge between thoughts. For example: “O” – “Ah, here’s the key! I’ve been looking for it everywhere!” or “O” – “I completely agree with what you just said.” There are countless moments where “O” fits perfectly.

I integrated this expression into my performance, a rare instance of spoken language in my work. During the piece, I was writing the word “Wolność” (Freedom) on the stern of a large cardboard boat. However, I deliberately omitted the letter “O” and instead spoke it aloud: “O”. What remained on the surface was “Wlnść” – a fragmented, deconstructed version of freedom. This act resonated even more within the context of Łódź – a city whose very name means “Boat”.

The performance took place at Galeria Kobro, located within the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. Named after the pioneering avant-garde artist Katarzyna Kobro, the gallery embodies the city’s dynamic interplay between its industrial past and contemporary artistic expression. Once a centre of textile production, Łódź has reimagined itself as a hub for experimental art, with former factories repurposed into cultural spaces and artist studios.

My performance became the ninth part of my ongoing work cycle It Won’t Always Grow Back and was presented within PAS | Performance Art Studies #54 | Na granicy percepcji rosną wspaniałe kwiaty (At the Border of Perception, are Growing Beautiful Flowers). 

Video documentation of the performance
12:33 minutes

Camera: Elizabet Damyanova
Editing: BBB Johannes Deimling
2017

Description of actions:
A collage of performance images and sounds is created by executing the following actions with selected material.