Photographs by Grażyna Rutowska – an icon of 1970s photojournalism, a family exhibition of “scary” illustrations by Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka, unique covers of books published in Wschodni Express series, and visual documentation of Polish traces in the fascinating history of the legendary English record label “On-U Sound” are proposals for fans of visual arts accompanying the East of Culture – Different Sounds Festival.

The event takes place in Lublin from June 27 to 30, 2024, and it’s 17th edition of Different Sounds organised by Workshops of Culture in Lublin and the 11th edition held under the banner of East of Culture, a project implemented by the National Centre for Culture with funds from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and by 3 cities in eastern Poland – Lublin, Białystok and Rzeszów.

The first of the exhibition presented as part of the festival is the outdoor exhibition of Grażyna Rutowska’s photography.

Grażyna Rutowska – outdoor photography exhibition

Grażyna Rutowska is a renowned artist and photographer who was one of the most important figures in the world of photojournalism in the 1970s. Known for her extraordinary talent in capturing beauty in everyday moments, she subtly combined the play of light and shadow with a unique approach to composition. Her archive contains nearly 40,000 photos! All the photographs presented at the exhibition come from the collections of the National Digital Archives. Rutowska completed photo reports in nearly 500 towns across the country, documenting practically all aspects of life in the People’s Republic of Poland. Her photographs depict both the great investments of the Gierek decade and everyday life, entertainment, sports, leisure, and the contrasts between the cities and villages of that era. Rutowska was a car enthusiast and a member of PZMot (Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation). Behind the wheel of her Fiat 125p, she covered a total of 400,000 kilometres. She methodically described the photographs she took, collected press clippings with her published photos, and even entire issues of magazines – one could say she was not only a photographer but also an archivist.

Details
When: 24 June – 31 July 2024 r. Where: The Hartwig Alley

Admission free. Outdoor photography exhibition available at all times.

“On-U Sound in Poland”

This legendary English record label, founded by Adrian Sherwood in 1979-1980, continues to thrive today, its catalogue encompassing a diverse range of genres, including dub, reggae, roots, electro, afrobeat, jazz, and hip-hop. Renowned artists like Lee Scratch Perry, Mad Professor, African Head Charge, Creation Rebel, Prince Far, and Little Axe have all graced the label’s roster.

– The Different Sounds Festival continues its annual showcase of the most interesting music labels. This year, we are thrilled to feature the iconic British label On-U Sound, a cornerstone of dub music history. Key artists and Adrian Sherwood, the producer who shaped On-U Sound’s signature sound, will be representing the label. African Head Charge, whose recordings epitomise the label’s revolutionary potential, will also be present. On-U Sound was founded in 1980 when Sherwood moved to London and, catching the wind of the turbulent post-punk era, worked with its most experimental artists. His recording sessions brought together Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora musicians in England alongside rock rebels from bands like Public Image Limited, Pop Group, and The Slits. Occasionally, musicians from London’s free jazz scene would also join in. Standout albums from that era include the debut of New Age Steppers. Featuring hits sung by Ari Up, the coolest girl in punk rock, and ‘Learning to Cope with Cowardice’ by Mark Stewart – a true powerhouse, one of those rare albums that never loses its edge over time. Stewart, the former frontman of Pop Group, brought to the world of On-U Sound the ideas of subversive deconstructions drawn from the Parisian Situationists and W.S. Burroughs, which seamlessly blended with the collage-like poetics of dub. This album’s anti-capitalist agit-pop harnessed a truly industrial sonic punch, revealing one of Sherwood’s most revolutionary production traits. He demonstrated that even brutal noise could find its place in the alchemy of dub” writes Rafał Księżyk, a respected music journalist and critic. Complementing the music of On-U Sound is an exhibition curated by Different Sounds and Xiądz Maken, documenting Sherwood’s ties to Poland.

“Sherwood’s connections to Poland form a distinct chapter in his story,” explains Księżyk. “It began in 1986 when he met the Kleszcz brothers, Jerzy and Włodzimierz, passionate enthusiasts of roots music, in London. Accepting their invitation, he travelled to Poznań that same year with the On-U Sound crew to perform at the ‘Reggae is King’ festival in the Arena hall. In between sets by Polish reggae bands, his sound system played, featuring vocal support from masters like Gary Clail, Bim Sherman, and Mark Stewart, all mixed by Sherwood himself. This visit resulted in mixes he created for Poznań’s Gedeon Jerubbał. Sherwood established a broader collaboration with the Kamahuk label. Its founder, Włodzimierz Kleszcz, co-created the global phenomenon of joint recordings between reggae legends Twinkle Brothers and the Polish folk orchestra Trebunie-Tutki. Sherwood remixed their music, which the Highlanders honoured with the album title ‘W Sherwood’. He also prepared a cassette compilation showcasing the label, ‘On-U Sound for Poland’. It opens with greetings specially recorded for the occasion by Lee “Scratch” Perry. Dub on cassette? Some might be surprised, but in the Polish reality of the mid-1990s, it was the most widespread media format. The next Polish release was already a CD, ‘On-U Sound Live In Warsaw 2004’, issued by CDQ, where the On-U Sound System concert took place, and the British Council.”

During his visit to Lublin, Adrian Sherwood will take on several roles. First and foremost, he will play his own DJ set, participate in a discussion about the history and present of On-U Sound, and also stand behind the mixing console as the sound engineer during the African Head Charge‘s concert.

Details
When: 27–30 June 2024, 10.00–18.00 Where: Workshops of Culture, Grodzka 7 – ground floor

Admission free

As every year, the Festival’s programme is filled with events for children. This time, it will feature an exhibition by Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka, among others.

Soulful Spirits: A Family Exhibition of Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka’s Illustrations

Feeling a tingle down your spine? Don’t be afraid, it’s just the ghosts of Poland’s past whispering in your ear at Different Sounds festival’s Children’s Programme! Join us for a hauntingly fun exhibition of illustrations by Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka based on the book “Duszne Historie”. Ever wondered about the strange emanations, little spirits and ghosts rumoured to haunt Poland’s old castles? “Duszne historie” brings these forgotten tales to life! The fearless writer Martyna Skibińska has unearthed these dusty stories, deciphering who, where, and why these spooky sounds linger. Then, the not-so-brave illustrator Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka peeked into the spirit world and captured these ghostly beings in a unique, almost photographic style. Here’s a spooky twist: the faces of these forgotten phantoms belong to friends and family, giving them a new lease on spectral life! This collaboration resulted in the book “Duchowy Przewodnik po Polsce, czyli 101 wycieczek z dreszczykiem” (The Ghostly Guide to Poland, or 101 Thrilling Excursions). Published by Dwie Siostry, “The Ghostly Guide to Poland” is your key to Poland’s spookiest locations, perfect for any brave explorer! This book is an indispensable companion for all your travels around Poland, whether you’re on a holiday or just a curious adventurer. In collaboration with Workshops of Culture in Lublin, the Different Sounds festival presents a special exhibition featuring 46 captivating illustrations from the book. Enlarged and accompanied by fascinating details, these artworks take on a new dimension. There’s even a special activity card to help you delve deeper into the illustrations’ intricate details. The exhibition is suitable for children aged 10 and up.

Details
When: 27–30 June 2024, between 10.00–18.00 Where: Workshops of Culture, Grodzka 7,exhibition room – 2nd floor

Admission free

Combining aesthetics with intellectual depth, the Wschodni Express series not only offers high-quality literature from Eastern Europe, but also boasts unique, minimalist graphic design by Ewelina Kruszewska.

Wschodni Express: Exhibition of authors and the covers of their books

Each cover meticulously captures the essence of a book’s core theme. This thoughtful marriage of artistic beauty and insightful writing reflects our commitment to bridge the gap between aesthetics and intellectual value. Why do we do this? Wschodni Express aims at introducing Polish readers to the latest literary texts from Poland’s eastern neighbours, addressing the issues most relevant to their societies and equipped with a critical distance and humour in looking at Europe, ourselves in Europe and Europe within us.

Design: Ewelina Kruszewska Publisher: Workshops of Culture in Lublin

Details
When: 27–30 June 2024, 15.00–22.00 Where: Workshops of Culture and Bałagan Pub, Grodzka 5a – ground floor

Admission free

East of Culture – Different Sounds

This year’s edition of the East of Culture – Different Sounds festival takes place in Lublin, from June 27-30, 2024. It is a true celebration for fans of alternative music that prides itself on delivering an eclectic mix of musical styles and genres, ensuring attendees experience nothing short of high artistic quality, originality, and a programme that transcends generations and disciplines. However, this festival is more than just music. Each year, the audience can engage with ambitious literature, captivating cinema, visual arts and photography. They can also take part in workshops designed for families.

The upcoming festival boasts an eclectic lineup of gifted performers, including Lubomyr Melnyk, Adrian Sherwood, the psychedelic dub supergroup African Head Charge and the joint effort between legendary avant-garde jazz artists from Italy and Japan, the project RuinsZu. We will also see the New York composer and guitar virtuoso Yonatan Gat, lively Mexicans from the band Sonido Gallo Negro, the phenomenal Halinę Rice with her foot-tapping live act. We will also immerse ourselves in the dark rock of Canadian artist Alexa Henry Foster.

The festival’s line-up also features the Belgian female collective Ladr Ache, Kety Fusco, the Italian virtuoso of eletronic harp, rocking Georgians from Bedford Falls, badfocus – the Czech specialist in club music, and artists from Ukraine – SI Process and DZ’OB. This year also shines a spotlight on the Polish music scene. Expect a special project featuring Marek Pospieszalski’s octet with surprise guests – Anna Pašić and Tamara Kurkiewicz, the captivating duo Coals, and the infectious grooves of jazz-dance ensemble Tropical Soldiers in Paradise. And for those who crave a powerful beat Ugory, Ciśnienie and Mùlk will deliver a high-octane experience.

All lovers of ambitious cinema can look forward to Move East Movie, a film series that introduces Polish audiences to contemporary Eastern European cinema and presents socially engaged and artistically interesting films. This year, we’re featuring the following films: Mustache Funk, dir. Oleksandr Kovsh, Rock. Paper. Grenade and The Earth Is Blue as an Orange, dir. Iryna Tsilyk, and Pamfir, dir. Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk,

Dive into a world of literary treasures at the Festival’s Literature Module, featuring nine book premieres. Immerse yourself in translations of poetry and prose by contemporary authors from Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Estonia. These literary gems include works from the Literary Eastern Express (LEE) project, an extension of the acclaimed “Wschodni Express” series. Prepare to be captivated by a diverse range of genres, from captivating comics to thought-provoking historical essays and enchanting children’s literature. Join stimulating discussions that delve into the themes of the books and the rich socio-cultural contexts that shaped them.

Admission to the festival remains free, with more announcements coming soon

More information: www.en.innebrzmienia.eu and www.nck.pl/projekty-kulturalne/projekty/wschod-kultury

East of Culture – Different Sounds
27-30 June 2
024Lublin, Błonia near the Castle

Admission is free

Media Patronage: Trójka – Program Trzeci Polskiego Radia, Polskie Radio Lublin, TVP3 Lublin, Polityka, Gazeta Wyborcza, HIRO, nowamuzyka.pl, Kultura Enter, Onet
Sponsor: Browar Zakładowy
Organisers: The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, The National Centre for Culture, the City of Lublin, Workshops of Culture in Lublin.

Supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Under the Honorary Patronage of Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of the City of Lublin.

Our festival promotes gender equality in the music industry within the Keychange network.