The next day, Johanessen surprised us with a completely different approach to the performance. He invited us to his Hair Show Office. He sat down at the table on which there were piles of papers and documents and encouraged him to give him one hair at a time. The donor signed the list with his name, surname, date of birth and address. The artist informed viewers that he intended to collect hair all over the world and create a catalog of it later. Of course, I donated my hair to him, so that I felt as if I left a trace for posterity, extended my existence and broke anonymity.

Alicja Pertkiewicz

Rita Maruhaug is an artist from Norway who has been working for 20 years. In the performance, she bases her actions on the basic tool which is the body with the minimal use of props. This is also what happened on the fourth and fifth day of the festival, when in the performance by Norvick Liquid, she presented her feelings about values, i.e. values understood in various ways.

On Thursday, the artist went out to the public dressed in a white light outfit, began to stroll while Norwegian coins were pouring out of her sleeves. When we heard the clink of the last crown, the performer left and the audience rushed to collect the money. The acacia she carried on the next day turned out to be similarly sparing in resources. Maruhaug came out again in white clothes and stood silently. She looked into the eyes of the audience. At one point, her face turned red and we saw a black stain growing between her legs. It was an oily, crude oil-like liquid. In the interview, the performer explained to me that her performance was about reflections on what it is like, that something can have value, why it has value, what value it can obtain, and that this value can be different in different circumstances. What is valuable for me and what is for you?

Many people certainly could not wait for the performance of the group Restauracja Europa scheduled for the last day of the festival, consisting of the organizers of Interactions: Stanisław Piotr Gajda, Gordian Pieca, Mariusz Marchlewicz.

In the gallery space illuminated by a single bulb, we saw an aesthetic painting, which consisted of the following elements: a table covered with a black sheet, with two metal bowls filled with water, on both sides of the table stood two men dressed in black suits, white shirts and black ties, a few steps from the table at the center of the composition was a third equally elegantly dressed man. The action began slowly, in full concentration the men at the table simultaneously reached for the white sheets lying under the table and, unfolded, lifted them up so that their entire figures were covered. The silence was distracted by the sound of a white ping-pong ball bouncing on the floor by a third man. This rhythmic kicking sound accompanied the speech until the end. The men folded the sheets, put them on the table and leaning their hands on the edges of the table in order to dip their faces in the water for a long moment. They repeated this action three more times. They straightened up, threw sheets over their heads to gently dry themselves. Then they dipped them in the bowls, twisted them, shook them back to the position with their hands up, from which they started the whole action. Then the ball rolled across the floor and the men dropped the sheets. This is how this truly theatrical, ascetic ritual of performance ended.

Alicja Pertkiewicz

The 12th Interactions Festival in Piotrków Trybunalski ended with the anticipated performance of Jan Świdziński, a Polish contemporary, intermedia artist, creator of contextual art, performer, art critic and philosopher.

The older man greeted the audience with a warm smile and sat down in the chair facing them. A text appeared on the wall behind him, which the artist began to deliver alternately in Polish and English, while he touched his face with his hands, pointing to something in space, and finally making circular movements with his hands slowly and faster. The key content of the performance was as follows: Natural? unnatural? What is at the beginning and what is at the end? Absurdities go from art to life and from life to art. Nothing more nothing less. The performance was awarded with thunderous applause and shouts of delight. The 12th International Interactions Festival has come to an end. Both me and the other viewers are looking forward to the next festival next year.

Alicja Pertkiewicz