"Barak" (Warszawa Contemporary Art Museum?)

[Wendell III]

Hi folks,

I was wondering if some knowledgeable individual here could help me out
with some information. When I was in Warsaw in mid-2002 I was taken to
what I believe was the Museum of Contemporary Art (?), and shown a
piece which I BELIEVE was entitled "Barak". It essentially entailed
some individuals of various age, skipping around nude in a dank
basement, later revealed to have been one of the gas chambers at
Auschwitz/Birkenau. The whole experience more or less scarred my brain,
and I would therefore like to know more about whoever it was that
created it, and what the overall motivation was. If anyone has any
insight, I would much appreciate it being tossed my way.

Thanks much,
-Wendell

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[kubu$]

Pewnego razu Wendell III <wen...@zephyrsyndicate.com> powiada:
> Hi folks,
[cut]

Hello,

You probably mean Center for Contemporary Art. If so, then here's a list of
exhibitions since 1995:
http://csw.art.pl/new/basis_e.html
Try to search there (comes in Polish and English versions).
Maybe it will help you.

Greetings from Warsaw,

--
kuba siekierzynski
// Przyjdzie jeszcze taki czas, kiedy szumiec bedzie las //
// A na drzewach zamiast lisci, wisiec beda komunisci... //

[Michal Jankowski]

Wendell III <wen...@zephyrsyndicate.com> writes:

> out with some information. When I was in Warsaw in mid-2002 I was
> taken to what I believe was the Museum of Contemporary Art (?), and
> shown a piece which I BELIEVE was entitled "Barak".

It's actually "Berek" ("The Game of Tag"). See
http://www.szorty.pl/artykul.php?id=300

> It essentially entailed some individuals of various age, skipping
> around nude in a dank basement, later revealed to have been one of
> the gas chambers at Auschwitz/Birkenau.

Exactly.

> The whole experience more or less scarred my brain, and I would
> therefore like to know more about whoever it was that created it,

Artur Żmijewski (Zmijewski). (Not to be confused with another Artur
Żmijewski - an actor). I couldn't find anything in English about him,
but here's a page in French (and Polish)
http://www.culture.pl/fr/culture/artykuly/os_zmijewski_artur

> and what the overall motivation was.

That's a good question. I can only say that another of his short films
features naked soldiers:
http://www.szorty.pl/artykul.php?id=301

MJ