WHAT WE DID IN 2025
FEBRUARY
Alesia Adamovich
Alesia Adamovich paid a short visit to Mochnarte. Alesia is a young author and editor of children art books which she illustrates with her own drawings. Originally from Ashmiany she currently lives in Warsaw.
During her stay at Mochnarte we arranged a meeting with Alina Wawrzeniuk, the author of Belarusian text books for children in Poland.
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During her stay at Mochnarte we arranged a meeting with Alina Wawrzeniuk, the author of Belarusian text books for children in Poland.
MARCH
Olga Kisseleva
Olga Klip
Carolina Poliakova
Pasha XYZ
A short-term artistic residency in Mochnarte brought together French artist of Russian origin Olga Kisseleva and Belarusian art advisor Olga Klip, based in Warsaw. The project formed part of Kisseleva’s international initiative EDEN, which explores the concept of natural memory, particularly the “memory of trees.”
During her stay, Kisseleva, together with Christoph Petiot, installed sensors on ancient oak trees in the Białowieża Forest—one of Europe’s last primeval forests. These devices capture the trees’ electromagnetic impulses and translate them into visual forms, allowing viewers to perceive the “voice” of nature.
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The work extends her earlier installation “Trees of Memory: Roots and Runners,” shown at the ŁAŹNIA Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk, where she reflected on the tragedy of Babyn Yar and the role of trees as silent witnesses to history.
Accompanied by Olga Klip, who acted as a mediator and researcher, the residency also led to a presentation in Paris titled “Terrain d'Exil: de Bialowieża jusqu'à Paris,” shared at the University Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne.
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The residency contributed to a broader dialogue on memory, ecology, and the role of art in engaging with both historical and contemporary realities.
︎︎︎ Olga Kisseleva ︎
︎︎︎ Olga Klip ︎
During her stay, Kisseleva, together with Christoph Petiot, installed sensors on ancient oak trees in the Białowieża Forest—one of Europe’s last primeval forests. These devices capture the trees’ electromagnetic impulses and translate them into visual forms, allowing viewers to perceive the “voice” of nature.
The work extends her earlier installation “Trees of Memory: Roots and Runners,” shown at the ŁAŹNIA Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk, where she reflected on the tragedy of Babyn Yar and the role of trees as silent witnesses to history.
Accompanied by Olga Klip, who acted as a mediator and researcher, the residency also led to a presentation in Paris titled “Terrain d'Exil: de Bialowieża jusqu'à Paris,” shared at the University Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne.
The residency contributed to a broader dialogue on memory, ecology, and the role of art in engaging with both historical and contemporary realities.
︎︎︎ Olga Kisseleva ︎
︎︎︎ Olga Klip ︎
Carolina Poliakova, a Belarusian visual artist, performer, and singer, recently visited Mochnarte, accompanied by photographer Pasha XYZ. During their visit, they conducted multiple photographic sessions within the forest. Our border patrol officers engaged with them on two occasions, fostering positive interactions. They successfully captured images of a lone wolf near our village and documented local architecture for integration into their artistic endeavors.
Carolina also researched possibilities to make a video clip for her women's singing group, SPIEVY.
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︎︎︎ Carolina Poliakova ︎
Carolina also researched possibilities to make a video clip for her women's singing group, SPIEVY.
︎︎︎ Carolina Poliakova ︎
APRIL
Volha Maslouskaya
Raman Tratsiuk
(Bergamot Group)
Volha Maslouskaya came to Mochnarte to continue her project “Postcards from the Homeland,” an art and research series she began in 2021. The residency focused on developing its conceptual and practical aspects, with a particular emphasis on postcards depicting wildlife. The nearby Białowieża Forest provided a strong natural context for this work.
During her stay, an unexpected and dramatic event unfolded: a fatal fight between two female storks over a nest. One of them was killed, her eggs thrown out, and the male soon accepted a new mate. Maslouskaya documented this incident in a video, including a striking scene in which she carries the dead bird.
Towards the end of the residency, she was joined by Raman Tratsiuk, a Belarusian artist based in Poznań. Together, as the Bergamot Group, they created video material at Mochnarte partly filmed on a trampoline which was later presented at the SAMASIEJ Festival of Belarusian Contemporary Video Art.
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︎︎︎ Bergamot Group
During her stay, an unexpected and dramatic event unfolded: a fatal fight between two female storks over a nest. One of them was killed, her eggs thrown out, and the male soon accepted a new mate. Maslouskaya documented this incident in a video, including a striking scene in which she carries the dead bird.
Towards the end of the residency, she was joined by Raman Tratsiuk, a Belarusian artist based in Poznań. Together, as the Bergamot Group, they created video material at Mochnarte partly filmed on a trampoline which was later presented at the SAMASIEJ Festival of Belarusian Contemporary Video Art.
︎︎︎ Bergamot Group
MAY
Andrey Ahtyrski
Uladzimir Hramovich
Andrey Ahtyrski, a Ukrainian artist and art professor based in Odesa, was scheduled to participate in the Mochnarte residency in May. Regrettably, Andrei was unable to obtain permission to depart Ukraine due to wartime restrictions. Consequently, he became our first remote resident, fulfilling his program online in collaboration with his colleague, Belarusian artist Uladzimir Hramovich.
This residency culminated in an exhibition showcasing Ahtyrski's drawings, created during the bombing of Odesa in a rescue shelter and subsequently received at Mochnarte via postal service, alongside sculptural object produced through 3D printing. Uladzimir Hramovich assumed the role of curator for this exhibition, titled "Loss of Mass or Sketches from Bomb Shelters." The artist himself characterized his works as "my visual diary of war - a way to capture anxiety, adrenaline, helplessness, and the attempt to survive through art."
The exhibition had significant attendance from visitors to Mochnarte during the weeks following its opening.
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This residency culminated in an exhibition showcasing Ahtyrski's drawings, created during the bombing of Odesa in a rescue shelter and subsequently received at Mochnarte via postal service, alongside sculptural object produced through 3D printing. Uladzimir Hramovich assumed the role of curator for this exhibition, titled "Loss of Mass or Sketches from Bomb Shelters." The artist himself characterized his works as "my visual diary of war - a way to capture anxiety, adrenaline, helplessness, and the attempt to survive through art."
The exhibition had significant attendance from visitors to Mochnarte during the weeks following its opening.
JUNE
SPIEVY
Carolina Poliakova
Nadya Sayapina
Mila Kotka
Nadya Sayapina
Mila Kotka
A women’s musical ensemble known as SPIEVY, composed of Belarusian émigrés based in Warsaw, created a video clip at Mochnarte. The group, which performs traditional folk music, is led by Rusia and managed by Carolina Poliakova. They are known for their appearances at various art events, including the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Warsaw and vernissages at the Gunia–Nowik Gallery.
The eight members of SPIEVY, including artist Nadya Sayapina and Mila Kotka spent two days filming the clip at Mochnarte, working from sunrise until a rainy night. The production was overseen by Natalia Strzelczyk, with filming carried out by a team of students from the Warsaw Advertising School.
The eight members of SPIEVY, including artist Nadya Sayapina and Mila Kotka spent two days filming the clip at Mochnarte, working from sunrise until a rainy night. The production was overseen by Natalia Strzelczyk, with filming carried out by a team of students from the Warsaw Advertising School.
JULY
Katerina Kouzmitcheva
Katerina Kouzmitcheva came to Mochnarte with her set of cameras, ready to explore the visual dimensions of everyday reality. Through her subtle and attentive gaze, she captured landscapes, nature, and people, revealing quiet narratives embedded in ordinary surroundings. During her stay, she also presented her artistic practice to the public, offering insight into her methods and conceptual approach.
A Belarusian-born photographer based in Wrocław, Kouzmitcheva works at the intersection of documentary and artistic photography, focusing on themes of identity, memory, and everyday environments. She holds an MFA from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design and is currently continuing her studies in Opava.
Her work has received international recognition, including a nomination for the Foam Paul Huf Award (2024), as well as multiple awards and shortlistings.
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︎︎︎ Katerina Kouzmitcheva
A Belarusian-born photographer based in Wrocław, Kouzmitcheva works at the intersection of documentary and artistic photography, focusing on themes of identity, memory, and everyday environments. She holds an MFA from the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design and is currently continuing her studies in Opava.
Her work has received international recognition, including a nomination for the Foam Paul Huf Award (2024), as well as multiple awards and shortlistings.
︎︎︎ Katerina Kouzmitcheva
AUGUST
Tatiana Kochubinska
Mochnarte had the pleasure of hosting Tatiana Kochubinska, an independent curator, writer, and lecturer working at the intersection of contemporary art, historical memory, and social responsibility.
Previously affiliated with the Research Platform of the PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv, Tatiana contributes to projects focused on documenting and interpreting Ukrainian contemporary art. Her curatorial practice engages with the legacy of Soviet history and its relevance today.
During her visit, she became acquainted with the Mochnarte collection and the foundation’s activities, taking part in discussions on the role of independent art spaces, particularly in supporting artists in exile and fostering critical dialogue.
At the time, she was co-curating the exhibition ARSENAŁ 60! at the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok together with Lena Prents.
The visit reflects Mochnarte’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and exchange with international cultural practitioners.
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︎︎︎ Tatiana Kochubinska ︎
Previously affiliated with the Research Platform of the PinchukArtCentre in Kyiv, Tatiana contributes to projects focused on documenting and interpreting Ukrainian contemporary art. Her curatorial practice engages with the legacy of Soviet history and its relevance today.
During her visit, she became acquainted with the Mochnarte collection and the foundation’s activities, taking part in discussions on the role of independent art spaces, particularly in supporting artists in exile and fostering critical dialogue.
At the time, she was co-curating the exhibition ARSENAŁ 60! at the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok together with Lena Prents.
The visit reflects Mochnarte’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and exchange with international cultural practitioners.
︎︎︎ Tatiana Kochubinska ︎
SEPTEMBER
Aleksandra Kalina
Lena Davidovich
Nadya Sayapina
In September, Mochnarte hosted Aleksandra Kalina, who returned to continue her work on the Mochnarte collection catalogue. As the collection continues to grow, the catalogue requires regular updates, including documentation of new works and further development of its structure.
During her stay, Aleksandra also conducted a series of short interviews. These conversations capture reflections on the collection, the space, and Mochnarte’s ongoing activities.
Selected excerpts from the interviews are available on Mochnarte’s Instagram.
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︎︎︎ Aleksandra Kalina ︎
Lena Davidovich returned to Mochnarte for her
During her stay, Lena further developed her ongoing investigations into “border” places and conditions, while also initiating new research into local songs, sounds, and traditions. This work forms the basis of her project “Listen to me, you islands!”, which began to take shape within the residency context.
Alongside her studio work, Lena shared her artistic approach with the public through an art talk, presenting recent projects and interventions in public space. Lena presented also to our public her ad-hoc made video which was projected on the garage door.
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︎︎︎ Lena Davidovich
During her residency at Mochnarte, Nadya Sayapina presented POKUĆ, a project exploring Belarusian identity in the context of displacement.
Referring to the traditional pokuć the sacred corner of the home the artist reimagines it as a symbolic space where memory, ritual, and a sense of belonging are reconstructed in exile. Combining contemporary visual language with elements of vernacular culture, Nadya creates a dialogue between past and present.
The presentation took the form of an intimate meeting with the audience, offering insight into the artist’s research process and opening a space for discussion on cultural memory and the experience of migration.
The project reflects on forced migration as an ongoing process of redefining identity, highlighting both the fragility of cultural memory and its potential for transformation.
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︎︎︎ Nadya Sayapina
During her stay, Aleksandra also conducted a series of short interviews. These conversations capture reflections on the collection, the space, and Mochnarte’s ongoing activities.
Selected excerpts from the interviews are available on Mochnarte’s Instagram.
︎︎︎ Aleksandra Kalina ︎
Lena Davidovich returned to Mochnarte for her
During her stay, Lena further developed her ongoing investigations into “border” places and conditions, while also initiating new research into local songs, sounds, and traditions. This work forms the basis of her project “Listen to me, you islands!”, which began to take shape within the residency context.
Alongside her studio work, Lena shared her artistic approach with the public through an art talk, presenting recent projects and interventions in public space. Lena presented also to our public her ad-hoc made video which was projected on the garage door.
︎︎︎ Lena Davidovich
During her residency at Mochnarte, Nadya Sayapina presented POKUĆ, a project exploring Belarusian identity in the context of displacement.
Referring to the traditional pokuć the sacred corner of the home the artist reimagines it as a symbolic space where memory, ritual, and a sense of belonging are reconstructed in exile. Combining contemporary visual language with elements of vernacular culture, Nadya creates a dialogue between past and present.
The presentation took the form of an intimate meeting with the audience, offering insight into the artist’s research process and opening a space for discussion on cultural memory and the experience of migration.
The project reflects on forced migration as an ongoing process of redefining identity, highlighting both the fragility of cultural memory and its potential for transformation.
︎︎︎ Nadya Sayapina
OCTOBER
Palina Shustsitskaya
Walenty Sielwiesiuk
Agnieszka Kilian
Tomek Pawłowski-Jarmołajew
Dobromiła Błaszczyk
Oriana Radziuk
BGSW
Jana Shostak
Piotr Adamski
Daria Sazanovich
Representatives of the Mochnarte Foundation — Palina Shustsitskaya and Walenty Sielwiesiuk — took part in the seminar “Gościnności” at BGSW Ustka (Centre for Creative Activity).
Hosted by Agnieszka Kilian, Tomek Pawłowski-Jarmołajew, and the BGSW team, and moderated by Dobromiła Błaszczyk and Oriana Radziuk, the seminar explored artistic residencies beyond institutional centres, focusing on hospitality as a practice of exchange, reflection, and shared experience rooted in local contexts.
Mochnarte contributed with the presentation “Bison and other animals do not have national identity”, reflecting on its work in the border region of the Białowieża Forest and addressing themes of borders, displacement, and coexistence beyond national frameworks.
Based in the village of Mochnate in Podlasie, near the Belarusian border, Mochnarte runs a residency programme supporting artists in exile, particularly from Belarus, offering space for long-term work and rebuilding connections disrupted by forced migration.
The seminar created an opportunity to exchange experiences and reflect on the role of decentralized cultural spaces in contemporary artistic practice.
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︎︎︎ more about the event
︎︎︎ BGSW ︎
Jana Shostak and Piotr Adamski spent a week at Mochnarte, working on their collaborative project while immersing themselves in the rhythm of the place, combining focused production with moments of rest and exploration.
During the residency, they carried out a series of photo sessions as part of their ongoing work as the duo JP1, using the surrounding landscape as both setting and active element of their process. Exploring the area, including more remote locations reached by the Mochnarte off-road jeep, became part of their visual research.
Jana Shostak is a multidisciplinary artist working across performance, visual art, and media, often addressing identity, migration, and political expression. Piotr Adamski is a visual artist and film director working between cinema and contemporary art, focusing on narrative and the language of image.
As JP1, they create projects at the intersection of performance, sound, and visual media, based on voice, presence, and minimal gestures. Their time at Mochnarte provided space for both production and reflection, where artistic work naturally merged with everyday experience.
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︎︎︎ Jana Shostak ︎
Daria Sazanovich joined the residency at Mochnarte at a transitional moment in her practice, seeking time and space to reconnect with her work.
A Belarusian artist based in Germany, she works across digital media, crafts, plant-based materials, and video, often exploring how personal and collective experiences are embedded in visual and material language.
During her stay, she undertook short expeditions into nearby villages and forest areas, collecting visual and audio material for her work. With a keen eye for overlooked details, she gathered objects and traces from the landscape—including a deer antler found during one of her walks.
At Mochnarte, Sazanovich completed her video Kołtun (Tangle), later presented at the SAMASIEJ Festival. The residency provided space for focused work, as well as observation and a quiet return to artistic continuity.
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︎︎︎ Daria Sazanovich ︎
Hosted by Agnieszka Kilian, Tomek Pawłowski-Jarmołajew, and the BGSW team, and moderated by Dobromiła Błaszczyk and Oriana Radziuk, the seminar explored artistic residencies beyond institutional centres, focusing on hospitality as a practice of exchange, reflection, and shared experience rooted in local contexts.
Mochnarte contributed with the presentation “Bison and other animals do not have national identity”, reflecting on its work in the border region of the Białowieża Forest and addressing themes of borders, displacement, and coexistence beyond national frameworks.
Based in the village of Mochnate in Podlasie, near the Belarusian border, Mochnarte runs a residency programme supporting artists in exile, particularly from Belarus, offering space for long-term work and rebuilding connections disrupted by forced migration.
The seminar created an opportunity to exchange experiences and reflect on the role of decentralized cultural spaces in contemporary artistic practice.
︎︎︎ more about the event
︎︎︎ BGSW ︎
Jana Shostak and Piotr Adamski spent a week at Mochnarte, working on their collaborative project while immersing themselves in the rhythm of the place, combining focused production with moments of rest and exploration.
During the residency, they carried out a series of photo sessions as part of their ongoing work as the duo JP1, using the surrounding landscape as both setting and active element of their process. Exploring the area, including more remote locations reached by the Mochnarte off-road jeep, became part of their visual research.
Jana Shostak is a multidisciplinary artist working across performance, visual art, and media, often addressing identity, migration, and political expression. Piotr Adamski is a visual artist and film director working between cinema and contemporary art, focusing on narrative and the language of image.
As JP1, they create projects at the intersection of performance, sound, and visual media, based on voice, presence, and minimal gestures. Their time at Mochnarte provided space for both production and reflection, where artistic work naturally merged with everyday experience.
︎︎︎ Jana Shostak ︎
Daria Sazanovich joined the residency at Mochnarte at a transitional moment in her practice, seeking time and space to reconnect with her work.
A Belarusian artist based in Germany, she works across digital media, crafts, plant-based materials, and video, often exploring how personal and collective experiences are embedded in visual and material language.
During her stay, she undertook short expeditions into nearby villages and forest areas, collecting visual and audio material for her work. With a keen eye for overlooked details, she gathered objects and traces from the landscape—including a deer antler found during one of her walks.
At Mochnarte, Sazanovich completed her video Kołtun (Tangle), later presented at the SAMASIEJ Festival. The residency provided space for focused work, as well as observation and a quiet return to artistic continuity.
︎︎︎ Daria Sazanovich ︎
NOVEMBER
Malgorzata Dmitruk
Waldemar Janda
Mochnarte held an evening with artist Małgorzata Dmitruk and director Waldemar Janda, centered around a screening of the documentary film “SYZYF Z MIŃSKA.” The film explores the long-standing creative friendship between Dmitruk and Belarusian master graphic artist Dmitry Molotkov, who led the graphic arts workshop at the Minsk Art Combine for nearly 60 years.
Małgorzata Dmitruk, a Polish artist of Belarusian origin, works across graphic art, painting, and textile. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, she has led the Spatial Graphic Forms Workshop since 2002, focusing on themes of memory, identity, and borderland cultures.
Following the screening, guests engaged in a conversation with the artist and director, discussing the film and its context. The event also included a presentation of Dmitruk’s lithographic series “Kombinat” (2003), where image, form, and symbolism intertwine, inviting a personal and reflective dialogue with the viewer.
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Małgorzata Dmitruk, a Polish artist of Belarusian origin, works across graphic art, painting, and textile. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, she has led the Spatial Graphic Forms Workshop since 2002, focusing on themes of memory, identity, and borderland cultures.
Following the screening, guests engaged in a conversation with the artist and director, discussing the film and its context. The event also included a presentation of Dmitruk’s lithographic series “Kombinat” (2003), where image, form, and symbolism intertwine, inviting a personal and reflective dialogue with the viewer.
