"Art for the Earth" program

Klub Gaja is perceived by researchers as a cultural and social phenomena involving not only ecology but also culture and art. In the project Art for the Earth the group uses performances, happening and para theatre. The group uses painting, graffiti, music and visual arts in educational activities and workshops. It produces exhibitions, films, media events, publishings. The artistic activities of the group become an excellent carrier of social issues.

Klub Gaja was founded by Jacek Bożek as informal group in 1988. For the involved people the common idea is sanctity of life and deep contact with themselves and the world. Klub Gaja uses unconventional methods and various art forms in its education activity, workshops and events. The activity of the association is comprised within the following programs: National campaign "Vistula Now", "Animal is Not a Thing", local activities program "Local Earth", "Art for the Earth", Environmental education centre Bajka Klubu Gaja., international cooperation program "Our Belief", human rights program "Let Others not be Alien to us". We also publish the following publications directly concerning our activities: bulletin Wisła Fax and Współodczuwanie, book "The Way of Gaja Warrior", "How to Save a River", "Anthology of Animal Rights", "I saw horses crying", films "The Way of Gaja Warrior", "Water: source of Life", "Animal is Not a Thing", "Art for the Earth".
Klub Gaja is one of most known social organizations in Poland. It was awarded a number of awards and distinctions in appreciation of its hitherto activities.

What is art? Is art painting of a picture or making a graffiti? Done by a person with a diploma or without? Is art a learned skill or a gift? Artists should ask themselves questions. They should be aware towards themselves and the world. Towards the others. And towards their own good or bad weather. In times when best advertised and sold product counts, aware artists are needed, those who chose for seeking.
Art became usable? Perhaps. Did it descend from the altar of service to Beauty to the hell of obsequiousness? Perhaps.
Art for the Earth is to serve and to awaken emotions. It is to create and change attitudes. It is to dedicate energy to those who do not exist without it, because we bestow awareness on nature, we define it. We build. We destroy. Art for the Earth is supposed to teach how to distinguish. It is to show that we can forge a symbol in stone and not necessarily throw it at a window.
Why? Because there are more and more excluded, lost people.
It becomes more important to bestow meaning upon life and to grow a feeling of belonging to community. The human community.
Let the stone serve the art. Let the earth offer it to us. Let the art teach it and express it.

For over ten years we attempt to save the natural environment, to act for human, animal, earth rights. One of the most important issues in our work is striving to change human attitudes.
We educate by appealing to feelings, emotions, symbols.
We speak the universal language: language of the art. We awaken and inspire everywhere where we are invited.

Thousands of colourful Pegasi made by children from all Poland flew under the Parliament to help us in the campaign "Animal is not a Thing."

It is a form of environmental and social education. The workshops are based on open formula from inspiration by nature (education path) through artistic activities, para theatre, slides and films to volunteering, activities for the community. The workshops are for nursery schools, youth and teachers.

"Thank you for forest leaves, colourful animals, great hedgehogs on T shirts and tales appealing to the soul, heart and imagination of the children."

"The cordial atmosphere created by Darek and an interesting way of leading workshop allowed us to forget for a while about the everyday hospital life."

Children and teachers from Special School for Children with Lingering Diseases in Bydgoszcz, 6.09.2002

During the workshops we choose a form of work adequate to the age and experience of the participants. Depending on the expectations of the group and group processes the workshops develop in different directions which can involve an all-day activity in silence or a several day work on campaign or seeking the Warrior inside. The best place for workshops are meadows, forests, mountains and sky.
The workshops took place in many locations in Poland, Great Britain, Hungary and Czech Republic.

"Ecology teams constantly with more universal ideas like respect for all forms of life, not only human or using unconventional methods to reach planned goals."

"You can also join us and walking the Way of Gaja Warrior you can become a valuable guardian of the environment. It is important that in everyone who meets the Gaja Warrior, even if not finishing the way of the warrior, a small part will stay till the end of life. This part can be developed when they are mature enough."

The participants will learn the history of graffiti techniques used by graffiti artists. The workshop ends with common painting of special dedicated wall or making of a proper stencil on a T shirt. In this way paintings with environmental or human rights message are created.
The workshops were led in many schools, also in England where volunteers of Klub Gaja together with the English youth painted the wall in a environmental education centre.

"Klub Gaja this day has led graffiti workshop for children who using stencils made by themselves painted the river Bzura and the surrounding ecosystem. For children it was a great play and learning at the same time (painting techniques and ecology)".

"I think these are very interesting workshops for children where they learn something new. It will be an additional element for our workshops with exlibris. The technique is similar." Jerzy Dolhoń, Art Circle, Łowicz

It is a discussion on why stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination grow. It is an attempt of opening to diversity and plurality of culture.
The participants create a happening, graffiti or stencil on T shirt with a symbolic presentation of the issue.
.The workshop is aimed mostly at young people.

Art is the language of the world, however many people are afraid of art, like graffiti. To feel safe they only look at national treasurers and within the boundaries of their minds.
The issues which threaten our existence on this planet need to be addressed in a common language everyone understands.
A few words with good art , with people working together can help address many of these critical issues which face the world today.
The communication of graffiti art in Bielsko - Biala , has been started with Klub Gaja, the message of peace and unity has been addressed in the local area through art.
Recently Beata Tarnawa, Dariusz Paczkowski, Adam Błażej Sobański of Klub Gaja , made one of the first steps with Chris Butcher -Artist from Sheffield, England. During European Week Against Racism in Bielsko-Biala. They provided a global message of peace and unity for Europe and the rest of our precious world. This art has really spoken to many people, who think art has a personal message for them as individuals and for their communities.

The special character of this way of expression offers the possibility to present the ideas directly in space known to humans as "constant and unchanging". Conversation with the spectator causes people to stop and to look into themselves and the world from a different perspective.
Creating of such situations has another meaning, more practical. Often actions of environmental groups are perceived as destructive, directed against somebody, blocking, negative. A well prepared performance can attract many spectators, not only ideological supporters and this is what we aim at in our work. Working on the performance makes immense sense to the group, compels to exercise, to repeat and to learn new things.
It supports individual development, bonds the group and becomes a challenge.

October 2003 Springfield School, Devonshire Green, Sheffield, Great Britain.

During a 3 day workshop young people created graffiti mural with the message they would like to leave for generations to come. The messages were inspired using the ancient site of Wharncliffe Heath near Stockbridge where archaeological ruins have been found showing signs of human life from 5000 years ago and graffiti from a few hundred years ago.
The workshop, led by Jacek Bozek Klub Gaja, Poland aimed at involving young people to work for their environment.

Over ten people participate in the street performance, including volunteers of Klub Gaja and musicians.
It is a tale about the Vistula and a threat, the project of building of dam in Nieszawa. The performance is part of Klub Gaja's campaign Teraz Wisła and was shown up till now in Warsaw, Kraków, Bielsko-Biała, Wrocław, Koniecpol, Bartoszyce, Katowice, Brzeszcze, Żory, in Włocławek specially for BBC World News TV and in reduced version in Andrychów, Toruń, Hel and in Great Britain and Germany.

"The message of the performance was clear. People, animals, birds, lived over the blue scarf , fish swam in it. When the scarf was divided by a black dam a dragon appeared...".

"Almost half an hour performance by the members of Klub Gaja was registered yesterday by television BBC World News. "Wild River in the Heart of Europe" is a symbolic but clear story about polluting and protection of river".

"The half-an-hour performance was supposed to show that building of the dam is a mistake".

It is a story about the past of humans, animals and earth. For millions of years on our planet, populated by innumerable beings, harmony has been formed thanks to the might of the Creator. It appeared from chaos, as a result of God's, nature's and human will. The first part of the story is about Birth. Space which offers unlimited possibilities. Out of this space world arises. The world of nature. Cooperation is created in harmony. We are lending one another a hand. We are growing. We are conscious.
Part two is Passing away. It touches everyone and everything. Human being is capable to destroy even its greatest creations. Death comes and also passes away. Change arrives in which we can build the Ark. The Ark in us. The Ark around us. We can begin our Way to do something for the others., for the world, for ourselves. To find our place.
We are discovering part three - Magic Springs. In our work we can draw from art, knowledge, spirituality. The future of the planet depends on us, on our myths, legends and traditions.
Pegasus - a symbol of transformation, who finds magic springs, shows new ways to us. New ways to old truths. This world is common to animals, birds, fish and people.
We want to help the earth. This is a story about our lives.

Venues where the performance was showed: Ujazdwski Castle, Warsaw, 2001.
Wolnica Square, Kraków 2001. Dom Żołnierza, Bielsko-Biała 2002, Nidzica Castle, 2002.

"The performance appeals to the metaphysics of Greek myths. There is a curse which doomes animal- human being, there is inevitability of suffering and death.
Humans - puppets in the hands of Greek gods dance the Dance of Inevitability and Dance of Suffering. They shiver. Klub Gaja is celebrating this mystery for us. And in any case - in my name."

A parade symbolizes search for harmony and unity in the surrounding world. Only searching for unity and not differences will help humans to discover new ways towards common future. The event took place among others in Kraków and Kongskilde in Denmark.

A street event with a message that even if people differ among themselves all have equal rights. The march was preceded by workshops with young people during which common values were sought, masks and banners were made. The march took place twice during the European Week Against Racism in Bielsko-Biała.

"White masks covering the faces were identical. Almost the same were cloths and charts which covered the marching participants. Only the inscriptions were different...
I am Jew
I am Eskimo
I am Japanese
There were no screams ,no singing ,no shouted slogans".

On 21 September 2002 International Peace Day is celebrated all over the world. On that day Klub Gaja has organized "graffiti jam" for peace and against violence.
People from different circles, Klub Gaja volunteers, young and professional artists were working on over 230 m2 of surface.

"Looking at the result of artists work one can see that their approach to the task was very diverse, they interpreted it in many ways. Because of this on the walls we can see pope's image, Bob Marley, an anonymous oarsman rowing violent waters with a blissful expression, and even a copy of press picture representing bloody events in Peking on Tiananmen Square."

On 21 September 2004 Klub Gaja together with the young authors of graffiti organize the next artistic event on the occasion of the International Peace Day which was established by ONZ .(http:/www.peaceoneday.org)
This time graffiti jam will be hold on the Central Railway Station in Żywiec, where the walls of the stores will be painting.
We would like to show everybody that graffiti can be an Art with very positive, readable message.
We will be painting for peace and against violence.
In this event will take part the best young graffiti makers from Bielsko-Biała, Żywiec and Katowice.

It is an event bordering theatre. We present there slides and films from specific activities of Klub Gaja. We invite the participants for a silent walk and afterwards we introduce them to the world of our proper texts and individually chosen poetry.
During Presentation we use experiences from Laboratorium by Jerzy Grotowski and the Way of Gaja Warrior.

The theme of the happening is transport of live animals for slaughter and an attempt to present emotionally the tragic situation of these animals. During three years of the campaign Animal is Not a Thing the transport of horses was reduced by half, the conditions of transport improved, the number of dead animals decreased. Klub Gaja has bought out six horses from slaughter transport. The event was presented among others in Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, Kraków, Poznań, Szczecin, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Bieslko-Biała.

"Yesterday on Old Town Market Klub Gaja has protested against transport of horses. Two cardboard horse heads with awesome neighing were escaping from two red lorries. At a certain moment the horses were encircled. "The slaughterer" with bloody knife ended horses' life.

"Passers-by who crossed the 11 Listopada street in Bielsko-Biała on Monday afternoon were witnessing an unusual performance. Actors dressed in black and red with paper masks on their faces presented in a symbolic way the lot of horses transported for slaughter by lorries.

Exhibitions are a form of education. Each time we arrive with an exhibition we meet young people and local organizations. During such meetings we present slides on different Klub Gaja activities which is an excellent way of exchange of experiences and a source of inspiration.

"How to save a river" constitutes over 120 laminated coloured A3 charts. It presents the state of water and natural resources mainly of the Vistula river, its unique natural and cultural values. The exhibition contains a description of the activities led since 1994 within the National Campaign "Teraz Wisła", coordinated by Klub Gaja. The exhibition has travelled to various parts of Poland. For many active environmental and social circles in Poland the National Campaign "Teraz Wisła" became an example of a professional activity on the level of cooperation between local communities, politicians, social activists and the media.

"The last one and wild. "How to save a river?" artists and environmentalists from Stowarzyszenei Ekologiczno-Kulturalne, Bielsko-Biała are trying to answer this question. The title river is the Vistula called by the Polish environmentalists from Klub Gaja in "Teraz Wisła" campaign ( part of this campaign is the exhibition in a Wrocław gallery Pod Plafonem): "the last wild river in Europe". The most beautiful and most devastated regions of the Vistula are shown on 120 charts.

The exhibition consists of over 300 laminated coloured A3 charts on which pictures of walls, stencil reprints, murals, graffiti painters papers, folders and press cuttings are represented.
We meet graffiti every day walking on the town streets. We can try to fight this phenomena, prohibit and chase graffiti artists but we can also appeal to the young people not to destroy renovated front elevations, monuments or religious buildings. We show that you can paint graffiti in a reasonable way.
Graffiti can be created legally, in subways, on grey dilapidated wall plasters or in concrete spaces bringing a positive message.

"Graffiti is a form of graphic scream. Someone wants their message to be noticed. Since the communication crisis will be eternal, graffiti too will be eternal like fire, hail, flood. It will exist also because human communication turns visual and graffiti is colour, strike, an attempt to appeal to our emotions. As Asignal, communication sign graffiti can be very useful in a way"

"A happening was organized in connection to the exhibition during which the trabant car of ŁOK director was painted (on permission) as well as special prepared plates."

Exhibition "Animal is not a Thing" is testimony of our attitude towards animals, description of reality in which helpless creatures have to live. You can find there pictures, press cuttings from Poland and abroad. 100 laminated A3 charts were divided into several topic areas such as: transport, fur farms, farm animals, vivisection, animal rights movement. The exhibition was presented in several tens of towns in entire Poland, among others in Warsaw, Katowice, Lublin, Szczecin, Dąbrowa Gornicza, Wrocław, Toruń, Ostrołęka, Bytom, Elbląg,. In every venue approximately 2000 people would see the exhibition and it was shown in schools, cultural centres and art galleries.

"I am very grateful that your exhibition "Zwierzę nie jest Rzeczą" came to Inowrocław. It allowed us to reflect on our attitude towards animals and to take appropriate decisions on many issues relating to environment protection. Each of us has seen this exhibition at least 3 times bringing our families and friends with us."

Paulina, Anna, Magdalena, Michalina, Anna, Ilona, Anna - 8 girls from Inowrocław.

"Yesterday, just after its opening the exhibition was visited by students of last class of elementary school SP 51 from Centrum quarter of Bytom. They left in silence, calmly without making noise, normal at their age."

The exhibition consists of 30 charts of 70x100 cm on which you can see posters from all Europe - from events and actions for tolerance. The exhibition contains also photographs, press cuttings, folders and examples of Klub Gaja activities against xenophobia and violence.
Ceremonial opening of the exhibition "Niech inni nie będą dla nas obcy" in 2001 was the most important element of the IVth edition of European Week Against Racism. We managed to invite Jewish Religious Community, Polska Akcja Humanitarna (Polish Humanitarian Action), Youth City Council, Association "Nigdy Więcej" (Never More), Polish Association of Friends of Tibet and Jewish Social Cultural Association. It was one of the biggest events of its kind in Europe.

It is the exhibition of Beata Tarnawa's works. Her art is closely connected to Klub Gaja activities. Through colour and symbol the art gives a legible and simple form to publications, prints and performances. The exhibition was presented in Galeria Nova in Warsaw and in gallery Alchemia in Krakow.

We want to talk about ourselves. We want to talk about love, suffering, passing away and creativity. We are not only social activists. We are creators. We create ourselves and we share it with others. We tell the story of fighting the world matter. Laughter and tears. Conversation and silence. Let picture and gesture speak.

The event took place in Bratysława, Great Britain, Kongskilde in Denmark and in the galleries: Nova in Warsaw and Alchemia in Krakow.

Eyes of the Creator and Eyes of the Bad Spirit. Camera is looking at the world through their eyes. It registers the time of building and passing away, and all this happens among people who wish to help others at a time when everything changes and speeds.
The 50-minutes film realized by Robert Baliński focuses on Klub Gaja activities. Happenings, performances, direct actions, leaders and volunteers speeches, archive pictures and a new glance at education.

All of us need love and care. People, animals, towns and forests. We can actively help others or we can support those who try to change the world by action. This film talks about suffering but also shows the way how to move hearts and how to change attitudes. Realization: Robert Baliński.

Film "Animal is Not a Thing" received awards in Polish Festival of Environmental films in Przysiek, 19-21st September 2002.

"It has happened that people from Klub Gaja who were young until not so long ago began to grow, become mature and define themselves. The community which I am watching for years is giving birth to individuals speaking with their own voice apart from group activities. Not only in the social field but also in culture and art."

Heart of the project Art for the Earth, creates performances, happenings and artistic events; writer, lecturer and workshop leader.

Leaders of the project Art for the Earth were awarded group and individual prizes