For the 6th time, the We Do Festival of Polish Contemporary Arts & Culture will take place in Norway – this time at Hos Arne and various locations around Oslo! Once again, it will offer a dazzling variety of experiences, including participatory workshops, performances, concerts, and documentary film screenings.
The Festival is an expression of Polish culture that is open, inclusive, and diverse. With the ambition to reach a broad international audience, We Do creates a space for shared experiences and international dialogue across cultures and borders.
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In 2024, the We Do Festival embraces the theme „Speak Fiberious” delving into the vibrant world of fibers—both in art and nature—as a medium for bold, physical expression. Inspired by M. Abakanowicz, we invite you to explore the raw power of textiles that weave emotions into art. This year’s edition creates a dynamic space where participants can freely express themselves and immerse in the diverse world of contemporary Polish culture. Join us to celebrate strength, creativity, and cross-cultural dialogue, discovering how craftivism—art as activism—can forge new pathways of expression.
Programme
(free entrance after registration)
TUFTING - CARPET STORIES, LET'S GET HIGH
16 – 20 OCT (5 days)
16 OCT.
Group A: 15.00 – 16.30
Group B: 17.00 – 18.30
17 – 18 OCT
Group A: 15.00 – 17.00
Group B: 17.30 – 19.30
19 OCT * time to be arranged with the tutors
20 OCT – Presentation of workshop results (time to be arranged with the tutor).
HOS ARNE, Gøteborggata 27B, 0566 OSLO
Tufting – Carpet Stories: Let’s Get High is a hands-on workshop organized by Enjoy Studio and visual artist Patrycja Mastej as part of the 6th edition of the We Do Festival of Contemporary Polish Arts & Culture.
We invite you to a unique experience where participants will explore the art of working with yarn. Guided by Enjoy Studio and Patrycja Mastej, participants will create one-of-a-kind artistic objects that transcend everyday life. The workshop also offers space to reflect on the meaning behind these creations—what they symbolize, their historical significance, and how they can act as a form of activist expression.
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WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS
Guided by Patrycja Mastej, participants will immerse themselves in the entire creative process, exploring topics that resonate deeply within them.
Express emotions and symbols through tufting, reflecting on the internal and external world around us.
Learn the tufting technique under the guidance of Kolina from Enjoy Studio—a method of manually creating carpets by threading yarn through fabric with a special machine.
Participants will explore questions such as:
- What inspires you more—the process or the result?
- What symbols or emotions would you like to incorporate into your daily life?
- What colors energize you and elevate your mood?
The process consists of three stages:
- Creating a unique design.
- Adding a protective backing to enhance the carpet’s grip.
- Trimming and leveling the pile to give it a three-dimensional effect, with the option to add decorative elements like tassels.
Each participant will complete a hand-tufted carpet during this 4-day workshop. Though quicker than traditional hand-knotting, the visual results are equally impressive. Various techniques and equipment—such as manual tufting guns, electric tufting guns, and punch needles—will be explored.
FOOD DESIGN - SENSORY COOKING WORKSHOPS
17 – 20 OCT ( 4DAYS )
pick 10.00 – 14.00 or 15:00 – 19:00
20 OCT – Presentation of the workshop results
(time to be arranged with the tutor).
HOS ARNE, Gøteborggata 27B, 0566 OSLO
Structure Potential: „We are fibrous” as a Food Installation is a workshop led by Pola Sutryk as part of the We Do Festival of Contemporary Polish Arts & Culture.
This advanced artistic workshop delves into the intricate connections between food, nature, and sustainability. Inspired by Magdalena Abakanowicz’s concept that „we are all fibrous structures”, the event explores the links between the natural environment and our daily food choices.
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During the workshop, participants will:
- Playfully learn how to design a food installation and actively contribute to its creation.
- Learn techniques for foraging wild plants and their culinary applications through practical field sessions.
- Take part in advanced cooking lessons focused on reducing food waste and maximizing the use of local ingredients.
- Collaborate on creating an edible art installation using local and found materials, emphasizing sustainability and creative resourcefulness.
- Participate in a walk to identify edible plants in the environment, with guidance on safe and responsible harvesting.
This workshop offers a deep exploration of the relationship between food and the environment while helping participants develop skills in culinary arts, ecology, and artistic design. The event will culminate in a public presentation of the created installation, highlighting innovative approaches to art and sustainability.
Through collective effort and knowledge exchange in a collaborative environment, participants will enhance their understanding of the connections between nature and art and create a project with a tangible impact on the environment.
Open to anyone interested in the topic, regardless of profession or experience, the workshop welcomes cooks of all skill levels and food design enthusiasts—no cooking skills required!
CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORKSHOP, VOICES IN MOTION WITH LIVE DRUMS
16 – 20 OCT (5 days)
15:30 – 19:30
20 OCT – Presentation of workshop results.
Time to be arranged with the tutor.
Praxis Oslo, Vestre Elvebakke 10, 0182 Oslo
Fierce Bodies: Voices in Motion with Live Drums workshop, led by Marta Ziółek and accompanied by live percussion performed by Bruno Jasieński, is part of the We Do Festival of Contemporary Polish Arts & Culture.
The workshop explores the power of vocalization and its political implications.
It examines how the body can express needs and set boundaries, drawing from personal experiences and commitment to solidarity within both global and local communities.
This exploration takes place in the current context, where the body has become a central political subject.
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FIERCE Body addresses:
- The need to confront fears rooted in the body.
- Working with grounding, territories, and the formation of collaborative bodies.
- Exploring how to express „no” and manifest fundamental rights and needs from a place of compassion.
- A key theme is anger as a source of creative power, defense, and energy for change.
During the workshop, participants will:
- Learn how to create a shared space for transformation, building connections and exchanging experiences.
- Use personal experiences to collaboratively create a ceremonial space and physical manifestation of this process.
Marta Ziółek says:
„In my work and artistic vision, I offer participants a trance journey that activates the memory theater of individual bodies. Dance becomes a space for moving emotions, celebrating the power of bodies, and power over bodies. I open up to the grotesque, allowing tragedy and comedy to merge, reviving the tradition of commedia dell’arte. During the workshops, I will activate the political power of bodily mobilization flowing from the loins and drops of sweat. To the rhythm of trance percussion, I invoke a dance that haunts and transforms our bodies. Our individual demonic shadows come together in a collective gathering to confront what is fearful within ourselves through collective movement.”
Participants will work with:
- The percussive body, engaging the pelvis, diaphragm, throat, feet, and hands.
- Emotions from centers of love.
- Explore sound and vibrations (lips, head, body).
- Open channels (jaw, tongue, soft palate).
- Strengthen and expand the voice (chest, lips, call, triads).
Live percussion by Bruno will accompany the workshops, enhancing the rhythmic dimension of the practice.
Photos (2022)
Videos
Any questions? Contact us.