University of Lodz and the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz have been cooperating intensively for many months now, and the mutual efforts have resulted in interdisciplinary projects – exhibitions, meetings, workshops, lectures. Last year, University of Lodz and the Academy of Fine Arts organised two exhibitions (the photographic exhibition "Zrost" by Dorota Stolarska-Kultys and the exhibition "Ukraine. Lviv. 2022" by Professor Marek Domański). Each had an accompanying programme.
The growing collaboration has proven that teams organising and promoting events which combine science and art have found a common language. The signing of the agreement will therefore help to systematise our activities and allow us to intensively promote university researchers’ achievements using the language of art.
– said Professor Elżbieta Żądzińska, Rector of the University of Lodz.
The art of presenting science
For the university, the cooperation in the so-called area of Art & Science is a chance to reach a wider audience with the research results and its scientists’ achievements. In this case, at times exhibitions or performances provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the researchers’ scientific output. Additionally, science that is presented using artistic means of expression can prove more accessible.
In turn, the pedagogues and teaching staff of the Academy of Fine Arts gain new spaces to present their work and can also reach urban audiences with their art. But above all, they contribute to creating a space for the exchange of ideas between scientists representing different disciplines and artists. The cooperation also strengthens the image of Academic Lodz.
The permanent collaborative space
University of Lodz makes two spaces available to the organisers of joint events of the University of Lodz and the Academy of Fine Arts – Wozownia at Franciszkańska 1/5 and Wozownia at Maria Skłodowska-Curie 11. The two venues are mainly intended for exhibitions but also host popularisation and educational events such as workshops and discussions.
As part of the agreement signed today, a series of exhibitions in cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts called Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Activities is realised. It is curated by Prof. Tomasz Ferenc from the University of Lodz and Prof. Marek Domański from the Academy of Fine Arts – one of the curators of the exhibition we are presenting to you today.
– noted the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts, Dr Przemysław Wachowski.
The end to start with – Andrzej Urbański on the city and us
Alongside the signing ceremony, the opening of Artur Urbański's photographic work exhibition "The End of the City" took place. The artist offers viewers a kind of photo-essay related to urban sociology. It tells the story of suburban areas of Lodz – the 'spilling' of the metropolis and how our desire to live in an Arcadia contributes to its destruction. The photographs are accompanied by excerpts from interviews conducted among residents of one of the suburban areas.
The text by dr hab.Tomasz Ferenc constitutes an integral part of the exhibition. In the text our sociologist writes, among other things, about the proliferation of suburbs and hopes associated with moving to the edge of cities and the disappointments that arise over time.
Community, communication – plans for the nearest future
In the coming quarter, University of Lodz and the Academy of Fine Arts are planning four joint ventures:
- Zofia Bisiak's exhibition with a programme of lectures and meetings entitled MATERIA. MEDIUM. WYMIANA. SZTUKA PAPIERU. SZTUKA KOMUNIKACJI, in collaboration with Professor Ewa Latkowska-Zychska from the Paper Studio at the Institute of Textile, Print and Interior Design;
- art and educational installation prepared by a group of academics (Lodz University Press, Student Scientific Club "A co to?" from the Faculty of Educational Sciences in collaboration with the Institute of Art Education of the Academy of Fine Arts) exploring the challenges for the 21st century education: competences of the future, collaboration, the notion of community, questioning thinking and creativity in its broad sense;
- photographic project on the heritage of Lodz rivers by Prof. Marek Domański from the blue humanities stream;
- multimedia realisation on migration of images in the context of augmented reality by Anita Osuch.
Edit: Bartosz Kałużny (Communications and PR Centre)
Photos: Maciej Andrzejewski (Communications and PR Centre)