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Let Them Flow! The Other Rivers of Warsaw

exhibition design:
Tomasz Świetlik, Maciek Chodziński, assistant: Maciej Moszant
exhibition graphic design:
Maciek Chodziński, Tomasz Świetlik
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curatorial team: Magdalena Staroszczyk, Konrad Schiller

Although the Vistula is primarily recognized as the river of Warsaw today, the city's hydrographic network has historically been much richer, and to some extent, it still is. The exhibition tells the story of Warsaw's other rivers through historic plans, maps, graphics, and photographs. Visitors can trace their courses, learn about their biographies, identify remnants, and contemporary traces hidden in the names of districts and streets. The historical water network is superimposed onto the modern city map—both literally and metaphorically—reintroducing the "other rivers" into the memory of the city's residents. The exhibition also draws attention to the degradation of rivers and their impact on urban development, especially in the face of the climate crisis.

The first part, historical and archival, systematically uncovers and reinterprets the story of Warsaw's rivers. Each of the heroines—Sadurka, Drna, and Rudawka—is personified through the narrative and exhibition design, each having her dedicated space, a variety of artifacts, and an individual avatar in the form of a tondo. Graphic rework has also been applied to historical maps, adding a complimentary interpretive layer and bringing the forgotten rivers to full visibility.

The exhibition's second segment, characterized as contemporary and discursive, invites visitors on an immersive journey through a realm of artistic and activist initiatives intertwined with the rivers. This section weaves together a diverse array of projects encompassing various media such as sculpture, sound installations, videos, collages, found objects, video documentation, and models. The convergence of these mediums creates a harmonious polyphony of narratives.