Land art – art at the border
The cross-border land art created by Koziara symbolically erases the Polish-Ukrainian border. The realization of this artistic project was documented by Artur Dowgird. His film entitled Land art – art at the border presents many preparatory stages of the process: consultations with the border guard, aerial view of the land, struggling with matter, the artist’s conjuring of nature, and other technical issues connected with the work. However, the main focus of the documentary is the story about passion and bold ideas that clash with reality, about people who put artistic conceptions to practice and nature governed by its own laws. The film shows a difficult path that lead Koziara and his colleagues from the initial idea to its actual implementation. Consequently, the photos of the giant fish ploughed in turf gain a new dimension because this land art is perceived by the public as a result of a long arduous process which required enormous determination. Another important factor emphasized in the film is the people whose whole-hearted kindness and support lead to a successful completion of the project. Landscape art project covering large areas of greenery, such as Free flow, necessitate precise planning and marking the layout on the plot of land by means of wooden pickets.
Land art is a struggle with nature in which instead of a brush the artist uses a tractor ploughing the stubble. A simple small-scale drawing transferred to a great green expanse requires a good knowledge of descriptive geometry, technical equipment and hard physical work. Land art – art at the border captures the intangible aspects of artistic creation – the backstage mood and emotions accompanying the following stages of the project. The nudity of the artist sowing phacelia seeds in the rain, the singing of Ukrainian women, crumbling frescoes in the ruins of a church in Warez testify to the unique atmosphere during the work on Free flow, in which the question of integration and clashes with nature intermingles with social, cultural and historical issues.
„Land art – art on the border” is a documentary, reportage from our expeditions to the Polish-Ukrainian border. The excursions, inspired by the trans-border activities of priest Stefan Batruch, began in 2008 during European Days of Good-Neighbourliness.
Creating a land art in such a specific place is not only an artistic statement which „brings down the borders”, but also an attempt to overcome stereotypes of human perception.
Film was shot during the making of the land art based on Jarosław Koziara’s idea, located at the Polish-Ukrainina border in villages Horodyszcze (Poland) and Waręż (Ukraine). Number of the border post 773.
LAND ART – ART ON THE BORDER
Written and directed by: Artur Dowgird
Music by:Maciej Pyc
Sound by:Artur Dowgird/Maciej Pyc
Produciton director: Barbara Luszawska
Technical team: Michał Strokowski,Ryszard Pikało,,Marabut”
Producer: ,,Tararara -Jarosław Koziara”2011
Time 22 min.//Language: Polish//subtitles: Ukrainian, English//Format 16:9//Sound:…./Picture: colour
Film made for land art.festiwal.lubelskie.pl
Financial support granted by: Polish Institute in Kiev, National Centre for Culture
Logistics support: General Consule of Ukraine in Lublin, Border Guard Branch in Chełm, Head of West Regional Department of the Ukrainian Border Guard – colonel Andrij Bura.
Special thanks for cooperation: Regional Council of Sokal (UA), mayors of villages Waręż (UA) and Horodyszcze (pl.).
Special thanks to priest Stefan Batruch for inspiration and spiritual support.
All rights reserved by Agencja Artystyczna „Tararara Jarosław Koziara”. Copying and renting without permission of copyright holder prohibited.
