[POLISH UNOFFICIAL ART - PERFORMANCE] Two photographs depicting one of the first performances of the Łódź Kaliska group in 1979: Działanie 2. Czarna taśmą. Biała szmatą [Action 2. Black ribbon. White rag]

Two vintage prints documenting one of the first performances of Łódź Kaliska in 1979 in Darłowo, 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 Łódź Kaliska, when the participating artists (Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej Świetlik, Marek Janiak, and Andrzej Wielogórski) were removed from taking part in the 5th National Photographic Youth Meetings in Darłowo 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). Łódź 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 Świetlik, Andrzej Wielogórski, with Zofia Łuczko joining in 1983. The photos were likely taken by Andrzej Świetlik, 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 Darłowo in 2009, part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Łódź Kaliska. Two vintage prints documenting one of the first performances of Łódź Kaliska in 1979 in Darłowo, 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 Łódź Kaliska, when the participating artists (Adam Rzepecki, Andrzej Świetlik, Marek Janiak, and Andrzej Wielogórski) were removed from taking part in the 5th National Photographic Youth Meetings in Darłowo 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). Łódź 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 Świetlik, Andrzej Wielogórski, with Zofia Łuczko joining in 1983. The photos were likely taken by Andrzej Świetlik, 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 Darłowo in 2009, part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Łódź Kaliska.