Willow explores the bond between people, trees, and craft and spirituality. Shot on super8mm, the film traces the connection between willow shapes, industrial structures, human and birds weaving, following the trees and folklore freely between Poland, Germany, Hungary and Czechia.
WILLOW forms part of my artistic research on trees and their deep connection with the cultures of humans and non-humans living on the land where they grow. Willows have once dominated the Central European landscape. The onset of industrial production in the mid-19. century made the wickering tradition has been disappearing till almost extinction. In the 19th century, this resilient plant was a popular motif in folk songs of the new concept of nations fighting for independence.
At the moment there’s a revival of Polish weaving traditions and an attempt to include them as a part of Unesco immaterial heritage. In Poland, I worked with the artist Jan Sajdak who uses willows for his land art and sculptures, and sisters Plota who have learnt wickering after their studies due to their family business.
WILLOW intends to blur the boundaries between nature and culture, human and non-human creations as well as art and craft. On an audiovisual level the film explores the overlaps of modern structures with tree shapes.