Bozhena Kushnir and Iren Moroz – resident artists of the STRONG TOGETHER program

Artists Bozhena Kushnir and Iren Moroz will reside in Białystok from March to April 2024 as part of the Сильні Разом/Strong Together program. Bozhena Kushnir, currently splitting her time between Lviv and Wrocław, focuses her work on developing emotional intelligence, which she believes is crucial for fostering a harmonious personality, adaptability, and effective interaction with the world and others.

According to Kushnir, “Emotional intelligence is not just the ability to recognize emotions. It encompasses understanding both your own and others’ intentions and motivations, as well as managing emotions to navigate various tasks and life challenges. During the residency, the artist will conduct collage workshops titled “Emotional Swing,” which will take the form of a game that combines working with materials and participant interaction, sparking creativity and releasing inner experiences.

Iren Moroz, an artist from Ukraine currently residing in Warsaw, plans to focus on the history of mixed families, including Ukrainian-Polish ones, which is also relevant to her own family. For her workshop, she suggests engaging with the Earth and transferring her feelings onto paper using ink and charcoal—creating through bodily sensations. This concept ties into her recent graphic series on Earth’s vigilance. From the project description: “…The smell of cold dampness. I can’t feel my voice. I can’t feel my thoughts. Everything around me feels numb and alien. I only feel sadness. It spreads through my veins and circles. All spaces are permeated with its spirit. Everything is dark, numb, and hardened. The ants fill me with peace and don’t let me breathe. Cold hands surround me with hundreds of hugs. Glass eyes look through me, black eyebrows ask silent questions… I only feel sadness. I know nothing but sadness. I don’t know anything. I don’t know…”

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The project Сильні Разом/Strong Together is implemented by the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok and the Open Place Platform for Interdisciplinary Practices as part of the “Culture Helps / Культура допомагає” is a project co-funded by the European Union under a dedicated call for proposals to support Ukrainian displaced people and the Ukrainian Cultural and Creative Sectors. The project is a cooperation between Insha Osvita (UA) and zusa (DE).