10 V 1975

Szadkowski’s Metal Works, Kraków

manifestation as part of the meeting and exhibition Vernissage at Szadkowski’s

Manifestation description:

The artist, wearing only two pieces of wood tied at his hips, enters the factory premises pushing the “Symbolic Wheelbarrows”. The front piece of wood bears the inscription BEREŚ. The“Wheelbarrows” are constructed of a wide board at the end of which there is attached a slice of wood cut from a thick trunk. On the other side of the board there are handles formed by an oval cutout. On the underside there are two pegs constituting the legs, on top of which there are four rods, and a jute canvas canopy stretched over them. Pushing the “Wheelbarrows” the artist enters the factory hall. There are two tables covered with white cloth. One tablecloth bears the inscription BEAUTIFUL ALTAR, the other PURE ALTAR. On one table there is bread, on the other – a bottle of vodka and glasses. Between the table a chair is placed with a bowl of water, a soap and a towel. The artist stops next to the tables and turns the “Wheelbarrows” upside down. A little table gets formed, on its top a movable seal appears with which it is possible to produce a leaflet with an image of a face and the word FACE. The artist demonstrates how the seal operates. Then he walks over to the “Beautiful Altar” cuts a loaf of bread, paints the slices with blue paint and arranges them in the form of a circle. Finally, he paints the knife with which the bread was cut with blue paint and places it in the center of the circle formed by the slices. He applies blue paint to his hands and imprints the marks on the tablecloth of the “ Beautiful Altar”.  Now he walks to the chair with the bowl, washes his hands and wipes them with a towel. He walks to the “Pure Altar .”He paints a red horizontal line on his face and pours vodka into the first glass. He paints horizontal lines lower and lower on his body. He repeats these actions alternately until all the glasses are filled. Then he invites those gathered to have a drink. The invitation is accepted.

Photo by Jadwiga Rubiś, Leszek Dziedzic, Antoni Berbeka, Stefan Zbadyński