Upgrade! Warsaw: Krzysztof Żwirblis: Cheap Television :: January 27, 2008; 5:00 pm :: Dziekanka (dormitory of The Academy of Music), 58/60 Krakowskie Przedmieście, Warsaw, Poland :: informal and free.

My almost week long socio-artistic projects, based on the principle of public showing of film materials at places where they were shot started from “Cheap Television” (Grochów, Chomiczówka – dsitricts of Warsaw 2005). Then came others: “Wiatraczna Street Perspective”, Warsaw 2007; “Housing estate Tv”, Zielona Góra 2007; “Poetical Probe” Warszawa 2007.

Cheap Television: The action was inspired by some ideas by some theoreticians of culture has in mid of 70. – they thought that tv, especially cable tv, could be one of the important tools of changing our society towards being more democratic and open. Now the situation is completely different, usually tv is only the tool at the hands of the big corporations which serves mainly as an earning machine. This action was make up by me in 2005 as a kind of response to this situation, beside other reasons, as much important, including searching for means of integration for local societies and getting to known commentaries of so called everyman about contemporary issues (political, social, existential).

The action starts from building in the yard or against great block provisional “studio” (approximately 5 x 2,5 m) which has one wall of white plastic good for the back projections. The action usually takes 5-6 days and as in professional tv we try to make editing of raw materials very quickly and present it in the evening. Picture is visible from a big distance and those who do not have time or even are ashamed of such strange activities, look at it from their windows. As soon as people realize that projections are about them, neighbourhood and when they see others speaking freely, they start to participate in our news, talking through this means to the entire local society. What is important, that beside themes which appear by themselves, the animators of “Cheap tv” ask the people about this something “else”, this what is beside work and passive leisure. In such way soon we have artists from nearby and we can propose them, in most cases, alive participation at the closing of the project.

Krzysztof Żwirblis: Born 1953 in Warsaw. Artist, free lance curator, historian and art critic. Education: 1972 – 1977 Art History Institute (diploma at 2004), Warsaw University. Since 1976 actor and co-creator of artistic program of experimental theatre Akademia Ruchu (Academy of Movement). 1992 – 1997 curator of A.R. Gallery at the cinema-theatre “Tęcza” in Żoliborz a district of Warsaw. Curator of several group exhibitions i.e.: “Activities with Newspaper” (workshop, exhibition, theatre) old Norblin factory Warsaw 1991; “A.R. Gallery of Friends. Years 1992 – 1996”, Museum of X. Dunikowski, Branch of National Museum in Warsaw 1996; “Parteitag” (on problem of evil in human beings) Contemporary Art Gallery BWA, Katowice 1999; “Power of the People” (about theme of democracy) Arsenal Gallery, Białystok 2002; „Demos kratos – Power of the People”, Cane Fabric, Warsaw 2006, Bielska Gallery BWA 2007, BWA Gallery Zielona Góra 2007. Author of allday projects (performance, artistic actions) on theatre festivals „Art of Street”, Warsaw 2001 – 2003. Also involved in critical writings; mainly for catalogues of exhibitions. Since last year December curator of Studio Gallery in Warsaw.

Individual artistic activity. Realisation of theatre Akademia Ruchu programme (participation in over 600 performances and other theatre actions). Individual exhibition: “Dust” (installation), Warsaw Centre for Culture 1994. Participation in group exhibitions i.e.: “Poland”, Warsaw 2003; “Belmondo” 14. Theatre Festival Malta, Poznań 2004; “Inc. Art Towards Corporate Taking Over Places of Public Expression (in Poland)”, Warsaw, Szczecin 2004, Zielona Góra, Wrocław, Bielsko-Biała, Gdańsk 2005; ”Concrete Legacy - from Le Corbusier to the Homeboys”, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw 2007. Realisation of so called “lectures” illustrated by slides and dance in open air, postindustrial spaces and galleries („Lecture about fountains” since 2001, „Song of the horizon, or lecture about antipathy towards national colours” since 2002). Poetry and performing actions in open air: „Francuska Street of poetry”, Warsaw 2003; „Vibrating Word”, Festival “Poetical Manifestations”, Warsaw 2006. Realisation of week long socio-artistic projects, based on the principle of public showing of film materials at places where they were shot: “Cheap Television” (Grochów, Chomiczówka – dsitricts of Warsaw 2005), “Wiatraczna Street Perspective”, Warsaw 2007; “Housing estate Tv”, Zielona Góra 2007; “Poetical Probe” Warszawa 2007.

Last 3 days action “Disinterested city space - winter garden” at Warszawa Wschodnia railway station, December 2007.