This iteration of Land Art on the Border saw our third return to the Sławatycze region. We selected ten artists to transform the local landscape into a natural gallery using found materials.
While willow remained our primary medium, one artist’s choice stood out: concertina wire. This razor-edged material, used for border fortifications, is so pervasive here that locals sarcastically refer to it as one of the area’s “natural mineral deposits.”
The project also bridged generations. Working with the local school, we discovered a group of fifteen-year-old boys with an instinctive talent for weaving. Despite holding willow withes for the first time, their movements were so sure and steady that we joked the “weaving genes” of their great-grandfathers had finally awakened.
The boys visited us in their free time. Under the guidance of instructor Karolina Karpińska, they crafted their first baskets and learned how to harvest material for future weaving. We are crossing our fingers—perhaps basketry in Sławatycze will become as popular as it once was.
Photos: Marcin Butryn
Read about works created this year