Object – memory – how to describe keepsakes | workshop with Aleksandra Karmelita | Warstwy
About
These workshops will help you look at family keepsakes not only as objects, but as carriers of family stories, memories, and meanings.
“Not for playing!” On the fragile memory encoded in things.
“Things – things, things – myths, things – symbols, things – metaphors travel with us from beginning to end, from the first to the last, and even when it seems to us that we have wasted them, carefully squandered them along the way, they emerge from within us, alive, untouched, transformed. Imprints of our days.”
Robert Gmiterek, Lulajżesyneczku
During the workshop led by Aleksandra Karmelita, we will focus on family memory and building home archives. We will look at what gives objects the status of keepsakes. We will talk about the shared or personal values encoded in things. We will listen to what literature has to say about the material artefacts of life.
You will also learn how you can describe your keepsakes and what is worth drawing out of the rich history of their lives. How does this work in museums? How can it work at home? Should children be allowed to play with them – or perhaps not? How should we handle keepsakes? Finally, you will try to create your own story about an object you have brought with you. All of this will be the subject of discussion during our workshop meeting.
If you do not have an object you would like to work with, do not worry. It is not mandatory, and you can still benefit from the workshop on a more theoretical level.
About the instructor
Aleksandra Karmelita – a graduate of cultural studies. A listener of oral histories. Professionally, she works with intangible cultural heritage and creative practice (PRZEŻYCIA Aleksandra Karmelita). She collaborates with the cultural sector. An author of poetry and reportage. Occasionally a slammer and creator of podcasts and audio dramas.
Details
When: October 4, 2026 (Sunday), 11:00-13:00
Where: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Grodzka 7, exhibition hall, 2nd floor
For: adults interested in family history, old objects, memory, home archives, writing, and storytelling
Registration: via online form
Admission: free of charge, limited number of places, places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
Accessibility
- Polish Sign Language (PJM) interpretation is provided.
- The event takes place in a location that is not architecturally accessible (stairs).
- Check how to get there – watch the video.
- Read the basic accessibility information about Workshops of Culture.
- Your individual needs related to taking part in events organized by Workshops of Culture: fill out the form.
The event is held as part of the “Warstwy – dzieciństwo” project.
About the “Warstwy – dzieciństwo” project
The project explores the childhoods of our ancestors as well as our own, approaching the subject both through the lens of family memory and the memory of local communities, while highlighting the value of building home collections that document the past.
By taking part in the workshops, we will learn ways of searching for information about the lives of previous generations (including in state archives), preserving keepsakes, and collecting stories that we can still access. We will discover how important and fascinating it is to create our own family archives, how creatively the materials we gather can be used, and what values can be discovered by immersing ourselves in folk games or songs. We will also have an opportunity to learn about old photographic techniques and create a commemorative portrait.
The programme also includes:
October 9, 2026 | Strugane kołeczki – a workshop with Staszek and Rafał Sadowniki
October 17, 2026 | Kołysanki – a workshop with Agata Harz
October 24, 2026 | Patchwork pamięci – a workshop with Jagoda Valkov
Co-financed by the Museum of Polish History as part of the Patriotyzm Jutra programme.