ZAKOLE introduction

Mediactivism, 2020 | Krytyka Polityczna (Poland)

We want to explore Zakole Wawerskie and get to know its diverse inhabitants and regulars. We look for new ways of talking about and experiencing such places as Zakole Wawerskie, trying to present the perspective of creatures inhabiting and co-creating these lands. We also want to emphasize the importance of such places in cities, and examine the growing conflict regarding the development of such areas. In order to do that, we have first dedicated a lot of time to get to know this ecosystem better through different observational methods and by placing a camera obscura in the area, which served not only as a cognitive experiment but also as an excuse for organising small visits and conducting conversations, trying to overlay many different perspectives on the importance of Zakole Wawerskie and possible future scenarios for its protection. During the following months we have invited scientists and artists to collaborate on proposing different walking methods, combining their expertise and searching for a common ground in order to develop empathetic, multimodal ways of understanding the space and its more-than-human communitiy.   Activities under the ZAKOLE project are a chance to generate and exchange various kinds of knowledge, including historical and scientific expertise, as well as the personal, practical, embodied and based on sensory experience.   ZAKOLE is part of the EU MediaActivism project that is managed in Poland by Krytyka Polityczna .