In Podlachian
object, 2021, MDF frame, FDM PLA print, 27 × 27 × 6 cm
In Podlachian, detail
In Podlasie, there is a local language described as Podlachian, and by local residents as prosta [simple], tutejsza [local], swoja [native], or nasza [our] mowa [language]. It is still used in speech, and today, thanks to its popularizers, also in written and literary forms.
This undisputed element of heritage sometimes gives rise to ambivalent feelings. Among many people who use the Podlachian language, there is a conviction, e.g. with a lower social status related to their origin, level of education, religion, occupation, etc.
For our grandparents, it was just the language they communicated in. For parents, a certain stigma of origin and belonging, inextricably linked with difficult life and hard work. For our generation, it is a symbol of heritage, a transitory world, identity, and roots.
In Podlachian, close-up | general view
The object is a visual transcription of a statement by Joanna Troc, director, and actress who is inspired and creates in Belarusian. In the Podlachian language, Joanna talks about her roots, discovering her identity, and the importance of language for her and her work. Paweł Dudko’s original machine transformed sound into a form of visual drawing.
The title in the original form is Po prostu, which has two meanings. The first one is In Podlachian, as it states it was spoken in the local language. The second meaning could be translated as simply or in a plain, straightforward way.
Attached to the object is a recorded utterance of 10 minutes 53 seconds.
