2022 / four-channel in situ installation – four screens with fragments of the film, displayed text / colour / sound / synchronized / loop
For the last few years, we have witnessed a large wave of refugees escaping Africa, Afghanistan, or Syria into the European Union. We have all heard about them, but unfortunately, it was mostly when devastating statistics were quoted – this many managed to get here, that many drowned, that many were arrested or sent back. They take tragic stories with them, but for many of us, they are nameless and silent. Angela, Janahan, Merwa, Michael, Mohamed, Nirmala, and Selamawit have all taken a tough and painful journey. They fled their countries to escape war, stalking, ethnic cleansings or gender discrimination. In search of a normal life, they left their homes in Ghana, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and Sierra Leone. Even though they have already gone through a lot, they are determined to leave the past behind and fight for a better tomorrow in the UK. It may seem that they have reached their goal and can begin their new life in Europe. Unfortunately, their problems are not over yet. They still face alienation, racism, loneliness, the uncertainty of tomorrow and, most importantly, a long wait for asylum without the possibility to work. In this situation, doubt and questions about the meaning of life emerge.
The installation was created based on the film Silence Heard Loud (2022, 71 mins) which premiered at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London (2022) and at the 19th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival in Poland.
Following In the same city, under the same sky… (2011-2015), Silence Heard Loud is the 2nd panel of the refugee triptych by Anna Konik. This time, she meets with her interviewees in London. The film was created in collaboration with the Compass Project at Birkbeck, University of London and Angela Obi, Janahan Sivanathan, Merwa Zen, Michael Darko, Mohamed Alie Jalloh, Nirmala Kahingalage, Selamawit Berhe and Leslie Topp – the Chairwoman of the Compass Project Steering Committee.
Film credits:
Directed by: Anna Konik; Photography and Sound: Józefina Gocman Dicks, Collaboration: Anna Konik; Editing: Agnieszka Kowalczyk, Anna Konik; Animations: Anna Chrzanowska Pilarska; Drawings: Anna Konik; Music and sound design: Wojciech Błażejczyk; Sound design: Adam Sypka; Sound effects: Aneta Bochnacka; Sound mix: Sebastian Witkowski, soundmaking; Group photo assistant: Martyna Jakimowska; Sound and technical support: Bartek Dziadosz The Derek Jarman Lab; Colour correction: Przemysław Niedźwiecki PSFC; Postproduction: EBH Sp. z o.o; Igbo-English translation: Angela Obi; Arabic-English translation: Merwa Zen; Amharic-English translation: Selamawit Berhe; Amharic-Polish translation: Balehager Hiwot; Ge’ez-Polish translation: Balehager Hiwot, Kesiss Assefa; English-Polish translation: Jarek Fejdych; Project managers: Francesca Snelling, Compass Project and Małgorzata Miśkowiec, Adam Mickiewicz Institute; Support and Financial aid from: Open Society Foundations Education Program; Birkbeck, University of London; Adam Mickiewicz Institute; private donors; Creative Europe i-Portunus; Partners: The Compass Project – Birkbeck, University of London and Adam Mickiewicz Institute; Production: Anna Konik. All rights reserved 2022.
Anna Konik
Sculptor by profession, Anna Konik creates video installations, artistic films, objects, photography, drawings, and work in situ with a strong spatial context. She studied at the Media Art Faculty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, where she received her PhD in Fine Arts. She lectured at universities in Salzburg, Bielefeld, Berlin, Warsaw, Poznan and Dresen. Currently, Konik works at the Academy of Art in Szczecin and PJATK in Warsaw. She was nominated for the Deutsche Bank Foundation Award and the Zachęta – National Gallery of Art “Spojrzenia 2009” and the “Polityka” Passport.
She has received research scholarships and was the Artist in Residence in institutions including Delfina Foundation in London (2019), Landis & Gyr Foundation in Zug (2019, 2007), The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre (2018), Museum of the History of Polish Jews POLIN in Warsaw (2016/2017), IAS-Nantes, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Bielefeld (2015), IASPIS in Stockholm (2011/2012), Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (2008/2009), Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart (2003/2004).
Konik’s works have been presented in Polish and European galleries and museums, at individual and group exhibitions, mainly in: Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw (2015/2016, 2009, 2005, 2004, 2000), National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) in Bucharest (2015/2016), ZiF – Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Bielefeld (2016, 2011), The Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast (2015, 2009), Void Gallery Londonderry (2014), Konstmuseum & Moderna Museet in Malmö (2014), Arsenal Gallery in Białystok (2014, 2013), DEPO Gallery in Istanbul (2014), Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw (2021, 2014/2015, 2009, 2007), Martin Gropius Bau in Berlin (2011), Atlas Sztuki in Lodz (2011), Max Liebermann Haus in Berlin (2010), Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart (2010), Städtische Galerie Wolfsburg (2009), Künstlerhaus in Vienna (2007). Her artistic films have been shown at art festivals and film festivals such as: the 61st MFF in Locarno (2008), the 58th Krakow Film Festival (2018), the 14th filmPOLSKA Film Festival (2019), MFF in Stockholm (2019), Zurich Film Festival (2019), the 25th Jewish Film Festival in Berlin and Brandenburg (2019), HRWFF in London (2022), the 19th Millennium Docs Against Gravity (2019) and in artistic cinemas. Her works are in private and institutional art collections.