[POLISH UNOFFICIAL ART - PERFORMANCE] Two photographs depicting one of the first performances of the ?ód? Kaliska group in 1979: Dzia?anie 2. Czarna ta?m?. Bia?a szmat? [Action 2. Black ribbon. White rag]. Questo articolo non è disponibile.[POLISH UNOFFICIAL ART - PERFORMANCE] Two photographs depicting one of the first performances of the ?ód? Kaliska group in 1979: Dzia?anie 2. Czarna ta?m?. Bia?a szmat? [Action 2. Black ribbon. White rag]

Dar?owo, 1979. Two vintage gelatin silver prints, measuring 9 × 14 cm, each labeled and dated to verso in black ink by Adam Rzepecki. One of the prints with old crease; overall good or better. Two vintage prints documenting one of the first performances of ?ód? Kaliska in 1979 in Dar?owo, titled: "The blocking off of the street with a black ribbon in order to attract attention and cause confusion, with the intention of throwing a white sheet onto those gathered, tying them up, and hitting them on the behind." The mockingly long title captures the absurdist direction in which the group would develop in the coming years, causing scandal and blurring the line between art and jest. The performance was created immediately after the formation of ?ód? Kaliska, when the participating artists (Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej ?wietlik, Marek Janiak, and Andrzej Wielogórski) were removed from taking part in the 5th National Photographic Youth Meetings in Dar?owo after the scandal caused by their first performance. The two images document exactly the two parts of this second performance, one capturing the confusion of the onlookers as the street is blocked with the black ribbon, the other showing a white sheet being thrown over those gathered as the crowd of onlookers continues to build. Art historian Piotr Piotrowski writes: "The concept of anarchism was key for this particular formation since the artists involved were mainly interested in rejecting any form of authority: political (opposition), ideological (nationalism and religion), as well as cultural (institutions and grand art historic narratives). ?ód? Kaliska was not only participating in this anarchist culture but was very active and dynamic. There are many examples of this attitude in the group's art practice. [.] By relying on humor, pastiche, parody and coarse eroticism, their performances and short films were supposed to strip art of its pathos, knock it off its pedestal and tear it out of the frame provided by the historical discourse" (see Art and Democracy in Post-Communist Europe, pp. 130-131). In keeping with the group's principles, most of the members had no formal artistic training. Participants of the group included Marek Janiak, Andrzej Kwietniewski, Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej ?wietlik, Andrzej Wielogórski, with Zofia ?uczko joining in 1983. The photos were likely taken by Andrzej ?wietlik, a photographer who produced most of the documentation of the group's performances. The images are mis-dated to 1978 by Adam Rzepecki, with the actual year of the performance being 1979. The performance was re-staged in Dar?owo in 2009, part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of ?ód? Kaliska.…