In the second week (10-16 June) of the longest night in the world – Night of Culture 2021, we will be greeted by a contemporary urban pająk chandelier, find ourselves enchanted by a city jungle made of thousands of PET bottles and puzzled by the “mad tea” in the courtyard of Workshops of Culture.
This year’s long-awaited Night of Culture takes place between 4 June and 21 July. This special edition will last several weeks and take the form of strolls in search of installations hidden around Lublin’s Old Town. The reasons are clear. Workshops of Culture want to ensure the safety of visitors by extending the display of installations beyond one night. While wandering around the streets and back alleys and going through gates in the Old Town, we will look for magic and beauty. The installations will change every week. We will show you objects that couldn’t appear last year and reveal brand-new pieces. We will soon present the complete programme at nockultury.pl. This year’s theme is Might of Culture. Might is potent and powerful. The word can also mean forceful spiritual energy. Motivating and rallying others to combine their strength and work together. We’re stronger when we’re together. Might is in the people! We want to invite everyone to rediscover Lublin and continue to treat it tenderly. As it is your presence that inspires and drives our activities. Might of Culture be with you!
New installations
Re4rest (10-23.06, Archidiakońska 1 / gate)
An original project by Patka Smirnow and Karina Królak. The artists have processed recycled materials – PET bottles. They have used several thousand of these bottles to create a jungle, a garden of exotic plants. The artists have noticed the incredible potential of PET bottles and decided to transform them into objects bringing to mind very organic associations. Flowers, leaves, grass. In addition to the artistic and educational value of the project, the artists also use the bottles to make decorative utilities for flats and office spaces: vertical gardens, jungle patches for every room, combining ecology and art with ethical priorities.
The City Pająk – chandelier (10-23.06, The Gothic Tower, behind Krakowska Gate to the right.
The installation refers to an old folk tradition of hanging ornaments, called pająki, from the ceiling. Pająki chandeliers used to be made of straw and crepe paper and were said to be lucky charms, bringing the household good luck, health and fortune. Contemporary versions are made with the same intention in mind, though the shape and materials have changed. The City Pająk has been created especially for Lublin with the best wishes of happiness and good health.
Mad Tea Party (10-23.06, 1.-21.07, Grodzka 7 patio, open until 17.00)
A teapot with three spouts, a teacup with a handle inside, cupcakes sprinkled with clock hands – ceramic wonders which convey the atmosphere of a mad afternoon tea party. Alice, Mad Hatter and Dormouse would be happy to sit at a table filled with such curiosities.
The City Jungle (10-23.06, Jezuicka 16)
A plant wall. Paweł Adamiec invites us into a world of original recycled plastic plants that imitate the form and colour of exotic species and penetrates city spaces.
What stays:
Chandeliers! (04.06-16.06, gates: Grodzka 7, Grodzka 5, Grodzka 3)
An installation consisting of four thousand ping pong balls will be hung above the street. The balls will move gently in the wind, coming to life.
City Moments / Lublin – Vilnius (04.06-18.06, corridor on the ground floor of Workshops of Culture)
The exhibition pf photography by Jakub Orzechowski and Ignac Tokarczyk who accompanied the adventures of Night of Culture in Lublin and Vilnius in 2019. They capture many colourful moments – memories.
Object speak (4.06-21.07, Old Town)
There are many challenges during the pandemic. The time of isolation served as a pretext to look differently at objects of daily use. Every item has its story; it’s enough to listen to hear the story of a seemingly silent object. The exhibition “Object speak” consists of static illustrations that come to life with the help of the Artvive app to show an animated film presenting the thoughts and reflections of people forced into distance learning during the most creative period in their lives. Watch out, however, as this is not an ordinary exhibition. Look out for static illustrations all over the Old Town. Start your journey at Dominikański Square and make sure to download Artvive.
They must reinvent their world…(04.06-16.06, Ku Farze street)
During the Covid-19 pandemic, adults preoccupied with work, saving relationships and extinguishing conflicts that erupt in confinement push away children’s issues. Children don’t have a voice; they have been locked in homes, deprived of exercise and contact with friends, have no opportunity to vent their frustrations, and are often prone to domestic violence. Photos show the author’s children aged 4,8, and 12. They were taken between March 2020 and 2021. Anna Hernik’s reportage, nominated in Grand Press Photo 2021 contest in the category “Everyday Life”.
Night of Culture’s fish memories (04.06-21.07, Bramowa street)
We have been collecting mementoes from the past editions of the festival, and this year, we’re bringing some of them out. Any day is good for fishing…two fantastic fish will be hung above our heads. The energetic, colourful fish by Jarosław Koziara and the monochromatic one by Francois Monnet.
Intro (until 21.07, Złota 1)
A fascinating place awaits your viewing – on the one hand, it’s inconspicuous, almost hidden from view, but on the other, it compels you to take a look!
Planet Lublin (04.06-21.07, Łokietka Square)
An art installation inspired by the traditional globe of the earth in which one city becomes the whole world. How to extract a fragment from the world and turn it into a finite reality, how to transform a city into an entire world?
CityTender: maple and black Locust (4.06-21.07, Wróblewskiego, Radziwiłłowska)
We have concluded that one of the most beautiful ways of giving the city affection is to plant new trees. We proudly present Norway maple and black locust.
Guernica (4.06-21.07, Lublin Castle courtyard)
Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” (1937) is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It’s a universal, timeless artistic protest against the cruelty of war. Students from the University College of Enterprise and Administration in Lublin (WSPA) bring the painting to life through acting and a stage design of their creation.
Dominikańska street bats (4.06-21.07, Dominikańska street)
“There are no mice in the air, I’m afraid, but you might catch a bat and that’s very like a mouse, you know” – said Alice in Lewis Carroll’s book. Are mice like bats? We will find the answer in Dominikańska street when we look up.
Cats on the Roof (4.06-21.07, Zamkowy Square/rooftops)
Rooftops will be decorated with a dozen or so black and white flags depicting cats. The cats are made of fabric and are based on designs by Andrzej Kot, an outstanding visual artist, calligrapher and illustrator from Lublin.
These are just a few of the installations you will be able to see during the longest Night of Culture ever. Every week, new installations will take Lublin’s residents and visitors by surprise. The map of available attractions will be available at nockultury.pl in the section FESTIVAL MAP. The map will mark attractions you can see, and it will be updated every week.
All events are outdoors, and admission is free. You do not need to register; go out on a stroll around the Old Town.
Night of Culture
4 June – 21 July 2021
Old Town in Lublin
Organisers: Warsztaty Kultury w Lublinie Miasto Lublin
The Mayor of Lublin, Krzystof Żuk has assumed Honorary Patronage.
Media patronage: TVP 2, TVP Kultura, TVP 3 Lublin, Gazeta Wyborcza Lublin, Radio Lublin
Up-to-date programme at: www.nockultury.pl