Witkacy Pod Strzechy

“Witkacy pod strzechy” is the only competition in Poland that inspires to interpret the complex works by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz. The celebration of the anniversary of his death is an excuse to develop the creativity and interests of the participants of the theatrical movement, photographers, painters, dancers, and many others. The competition does not have a set paradigm, it gives freedom to present your work in any form. The aim of the event is to praise the most interesting dive into the depths of thoughts of the philosopher, painter, playwright, writer, and photographer who Wiktacy was.

Driven by simple yet true words said by Witkacy “Where there is man, there is art” we allow the creators a vast freedom of presentation. The competition has no limit as to the form of the performance, it can be recitation, monodrama, “derived from word”, singing, artistic installation, photography, and any other works of art and all the types of artistic currents: turnaroud-contafaudism, neo-pseudo-cretinism, fictobrutism and whatever-you-want-to-sayism.

It is a chance for people who are inspired by Witkacy’s artistic works to present their feelings, thought or experiences. All that is judged by a one-person eccentric jury, who will award prizes as they see fit. It is however worth to note that said jury is always an acclaimed artist amongst who were: Irena Jun (an actress), Bartosz Zaczykiewicz (a director, theatre manager), Ewa Ignaczak (a director, theatre manager), Ziuta Zającówna and many others.

The competition is accompanied by workshops, a master performance, and a visit to the Museum of the Middle Pomerania, which has the richest collection of Witkacy’s paintings with a lecture about the artist’s life.

Every year about fifty performers from all around Poland and the works take part in the competition: from Wrocław, Kraków, Lublin, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Lębork, Lyon (France), Madrid (Spain) and Słupsk. The participants and spectators are people of all ages and experience.