Not quite as bright-eyed as I would have liked in the morning. Made it down for the tail end of breakfast. We headed off to take in the Mediateka, a modern media library. There are two such centers in Poland and supposedly a similar facility in Los Angeles. They have fairly extensive holding of books, DVDs, and videotape. Downstairs was a bookstore that was affiliated with a publishing house that specialized in Polish poetry and prose.
At the Mediateka, a new media library.
An interesting photo exhibits about floods. The bookstore in the Mediateka basement, specializing in Polish poetry and prose.
We headed back to the rynek once again for lunch. Had some spinach and mushroom naleszniki at Wega. After lunch we had a long session at Browar Mieszczanski. We started with a one-woman play put on by Zaklad Krawiecki Teatr. It was a very good adaptation of what would normally have been a two person play based on a short story. It involved a series of phone conversations between a young puppet maker and her mother. The mother’s responses were mediated through the actress portraying the puppet maker. We sat down for a conversation with the troupe in separate café space. They had formed while a bunch of them were studying at the puppet theater school and had started up a company after they graduated.
Next up were two ceramics thesis projects that were on display in other spaces at the brewery. They were a mixed bag with certain elements of each being very interesting but other portions falling flat. We headed back to the café area to talk with the couple that had bought the space. They were both architects and were interested in building up a lively artistic space. It would be at least another year before they could get the property re-zoned to allow for commercial activity such as a proper café and some small shops. They really wanted to keep the integrity of the space be controlling what sort of tenants they would let in.
The Browar Mieszczanski. A one-woman play put on by Zaklad Krawiecki Teatr. The owners of the complex. Two ceramics thesis shows.
We all headed back to the hotel for a break before going to a garden party at the house of the Puppet theater director. Asia and I decided to go and photograph an overpass area not to far away. There were lots on interesting forms and some good graffiti. We passed the rest of the group as they were heading to the tram to go to the party. We decided to go and visit Asia’s cousin Adam first and then join up with the group a little later.
After a long cab ride we finally made it out the apartment of Adam and his wife Asia. We started to converse in English, but the other Asia was hesitant to speak, so the conversation switched to Polish. I was left to entertain myself with a collection of records and a turntable. The beer I started with was quickly followed with some horrible vodka going by the name Abstinence (if the name doesn’t stop you, nothing will), that Adam still had left over from his wedding. Asia’s aunt showed up after the first round, so of course another was in order. I think we were up to three before Adam produced some Baileys. I wasn’t able to stop myself from ingesting a shot of it. Asia’s uncle came by and ferried the youngsters over to the party. I have little recollection of the party other than trying to film a toast to Joanna. Unfortunately my newer little camera lacks the nightshot feature that my old one had. Later I recall emptying the contents of my stomach onto the lawn next to where I was sitting. Soon thereafter we got a cab back to Adam and Asia’s. I crashed out on the floor while the others visited for a bit longer. Eventually it was time to go. I made myself throw up one more time before getting in the taxi. Adam kept saying over and over that I was his hero as we were leaving. Couldn’t imagine how anyone could see me as heroic in the state I was in, but apparently he was very smashed as well.
With Asia's cousin Adam, his wife Asia, and his mother. The kitten checking me out in my comatose state towards the end of the evening.
At the Mediateka, a new media library.
An interesting photo exhibits about floods. The bookstore in the Mediateka basement, specializing in Polish poetry and prose.
We headed back to the rynek once again for lunch. Had some spinach and mushroom naleszniki at Wega. After lunch we had a long session at Browar Mieszczanski. We started with a one-woman play put on by Zaklad Krawiecki Teatr. It was a very good adaptation of what would normally have been a two person play based on a short story. It involved a series of phone conversations between a young puppet maker and her mother. The mother’s responses were mediated through the actress portraying the puppet maker. We sat down for a conversation with the troupe in separate café space. They had formed while a bunch of them were studying at the puppet theater school and had started up a company after they graduated.
Next up were two ceramics thesis projects that were on display in other spaces at the brewery. They were a mixed bag with certain elements of each being very interesting but other portions falling flat. We headed back to the café area to talk with the couple that had bought the space. They were both architects and were interested in building up a lively artistic space. It would be at least another year before they could get the property re-zoned to allow for commercial activity such as a proper café and some small shops. They really wanted to keep the integrity of the space be controlling what sort of tenants they would let in.
The Browar Mieszczanski. A one-woman play put on by Zaklad Krawiecki Teatr. The owners of the complex. Two ceramics thesis shows.
We all headed back to the hotel for a break before going to a garden party at the house of the Puppet theater director. Asia and I decided to go and photograph an overpass area not to far away. There were lots on interesting forms and some good graffiti. We passed the rest of the group as they were heading to the tram to go to the party. We decided to go and visit Asia’s cousin Adam first and then join up with the group a little later.
After a long cab ride we finally made it out the apartment of Adam and his wife Asia. We started to converse in English, but the other Asia was hesitant to speak, so the conversation switched to Polish. I was left to entertain myself with a collection of records and a turntable. The beer I started with was quickly followed with some horrible vodka going by the name Abstinence (if the name doesn’t stop you, nothing will), that Adam still had left over from his wedding. Asia’s aunt showed up after the first round, so of course another was in order. I think we were up to three before Adam produced some Baileys. I wasn’t able to stop myself from ingesting a shot of it. Asia’s uncle came by and ferried the youngsters over to the party. I have little recollection of the party other than trying to film a toast to Joanna. Unfortunately my newer little camera lacks the nightshot feature that my old one had. Later I recall emptying the contents of my stomach onto the lawn next to where I was sitting. Soon thereafter we got a cab back to Adam and Asia’s. I crashed out on the floor while the others visited for a bit longer. Eventually it was time to go. I made myself throw up one more time before getting in the taxi. Adam kept saying over and over that I was his hero as we were leaving. Couldn’t imagine how anyone could see me as heroic in the state I was in, but apparently he was very smashed as well.
With Asia's cousin Adam, his wife Asia, and his mother. The kitten checking me out in my comatose state towards the end of the evening.
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