Forest Spells
Sonic Speculations on Borderless Feminism
Forest Spells take the concept of sonic fiction (Eshun; Schulze) as a guide to a new Eastern European imaginary in which feminism and ecology intersect. As a vocal performance and listening session, it uses field recordings from the Białowieża Forest as a starting point for speculating on a borderless feminism for the region, while inviting participants to sound and dream together.
The performance touches on observations of solidarities and commonalities between Poland, Ukraine and Belarus, as well as the complex histories of migration, refuge and borders in the Białowieża Forest - interweaving them with rural traditions of white voice singing and spells rooted in lands that cross the borders of these nation-states. This piece uses sound to imagine an alternative future for this corner of Eastern Europe, focusing particularly on traditions passed down through female ancestral lines.
Created and performed by Agnieszka Bułacik and Hanna Grześkiewicz.