KAIMERA'S STATEMENT ON THE RUSSIAN INVATION OF UKRAINE
When we announced that the 2022 edition of the Kaimera Lab would be hosted at the gorgeous Gorzanów Palace in the South-West of Poland, we could not have imagined the events that were about to unfold across the border in Ukraine.
As we have been following the progression of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have been reflecting on whether we should still hold the Lab this coming July. Is it appropriate to hold an artistic training five hundred kilometers away from a border that has seen over two million Ukrainian refugees flee their war-torn home in the last two weeks? Our team is unanimous and steadfast about the answer to this question: Yes, it is.
We believe deeply that it is all the more important for artists to gather and create work together in times of division and violence such as these, and not allow brutality and fear to silence and isolate us. We come to this belief not only as artists committed to bridge-building and social change, but as individuals whose own personal and family histories include the trauma of fleeing war-torn places and becoming refugees in other countries.
In response not only to this conflict, but also to so many others around the world that continue to cause the forced migration of tens of millions without reaching our news feeds, we have decided to set up an extra scholarship fund for artist refugees to attend the Lab. Please be sure to fill in the scholarship application form if you wish to be considered for this scholarship, in addition to the Kaimera Lab 2022 application form. Also, this year’s training will focus on displacement as the central theme that the participating artists will tackle when creating original material.
With that said, the safety of the Kaimera Lab participants remains the utmost priority for us. Over the months to come, we will be working with our partners at the Gorzanów Palace to monitor how the situation evolves and will revise our plans accordingly.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. If you are interested in the Lab and want to discuss the situation, don’t hesitate to write to us.