The 4th Local Urban Lab in Gdańsk brought together two local artists, Viktorya Myronyuk and Anna Kotkiewicz, whose practices approached environmental and climate-related issues through participatory and site-responsive artistic methods. The overall aim of the residency and lab was to support local artists in engaging creatively with ecological themes, while also strengthening their professional development, future opportunities, and international networks. At the same time, the activities were designed to engage local communities and to raise awareness of the cultural, historical, and environmental significance of Gdańsk’s water systems.
January–February 2026: Research and concept development
During the first phase of the residency, both artists worked on the conceptual development of their projects. Viktorya Myronyuk carried out research on the water and canal systems of Gdańsk, meeting with experts and exploring the history of the Radunia Canal. Her work focused on the hidden and visible flows of water in the city, and on the relationship between urban water management, memory, and climate-related challenges such as flooding.
At the same time, Anna Kotkiewicz developed the concept for her workshop and sculptural presentation. Her preparatory work included technical planning, research into materials, and identifying suitable service providers. Both artists also met regularly to exchange ideas and discuss possibilities for collaboration within the Local Urban Lab framework.
March 2026: Artistic production and preparation
In March, the artists entered the production phase of their projects. Viktorya Myronyuk finalized the dramaturgy and script of her performative walk and carried out rehearsals. Her project, Along the Water, was developed through site-based research along the Radunia Canal and was inspired by hydrofeminism and the idea of a secular pilgrimage. An important part of the process was also the creation of contemporary “badges” as traces of passage and intentional practice.
Anna Kotkiewicz focused on the practical and artistic preparation of her ceramic workshop, Shoreline Boundaries. She produced prototypes, purchased materials, and prepared the workshop structure as well as the sculptural component of her presentation. Her work centered on porcelain as a material capable of recording touch, gesture, and physical interaction, in dialogue with the shoreline of Gdańsk and broader water-related themes.
28–29 March 2026: Final presentations and public activities
The final stage of the Local Urban Lab took place on 28–29 March 2026 and consisted of two performative walks by Viktorya Myronyuk, each for a group of eight participants, as well as Anna Kotkiewicz’s ceramic workshop and the presentation of her sculpture. Viktorya’s Along the Water was conceived as a performative and meditative walk for small groups. Beginning at IKM, the route continued through more than a dozen locations connected to the waterways of Gdańsk. At each stop, the artist combined storytelling, singing, performative gestures, and short exercises for participants. Sometimes she performed alone, and at other times she involved the group directly. In this way, the walk became a form of mobile workshop, based on interaction and shared experience. The walk invited participants to consider the role and beauty of Gdańsk’s rivers and canals, while also learning about their history and the fact that some waterways remain hidden beneath roads and buildings. Through this, the project highlighted the relationship between urban development and water management, and encouraged reflection on the environmental consequences of concealing water systems, including increased vulnerability to climate-related risks such as flooding. On a more personal level, the walk asked participants to reflect on their own “watery bodies”: where thoughts and emotions flow freely, where blockages emerge, where pressure accumulates, and where stagnation occurs.
Anna Kotkiewicz’s Shoreline Boundaries took the form of an intimate porcelain workshop for a maximum of eight participants. During the session, participants worked with porcelain as a material that preserves traces of touch and gesture. Using water, hand pressure, and finger movement, they created small relief tiles inspired by the shoreline of Gdańsk. The workshop encouraged participants to develop their creativity and artistic interests while engaging with water-related themes through making. The process also opened up reflection on how even the smallest actions leave lasting traces, both in the material itself and in the natural environment. Because of the small group format, each participant received individual support throughout the workshop. After the session, the works were dried, fired, and glazed in a ceramic kiln, and later collected by the participants. Anna’s sculptural presentation further complemented the workshop by expanding these themes into a more formal artistic outcome.
Together, the performative walk and the ceramic workshop created two distinct yet complementary modes of engaging with Gdańsk’s waterscape: one through movement, voice, and collective reflection in urban space, and the other through touch, materiality, and careful studio-based practice. Both activities contributed to the wider aims of the residency and lab by linking artistic experimentation with environmental awareness, local cultural context, and community participation.
