The work presented here is a visualization of a public projection that took place on June 14, 2014, in Łomża. The location was the arcades of tenement houses in the Old Market Square. "CZE CZE" is a project that explores the mutual perceptions of communities living in a shared urban space yet differing culturally, religiously, and ethnically. This project was inspired by the tensions that arose in Łomża between a group of residents and the Chechen refugees residing there. A campaign of hostility from groups hostile to "outsiders," reinforced by the actions of local politicians, resulted in the closure of the refugee center operating there in 2011. However, many newcomers from the Caucasus region still live in Łomża.
It presents the statements of people of various ages, with varying life experiences, social status, and diverse views. I selected them from interviews I conducted with representatives of both communities. The film's characters are anonymous, decapitated, and cropped. The parallel projection creates a virtual "tripling" of the film and a cacophony of sound. Only a few phrases and statements break through and reach the audience's ears. This multiplication highlights the lack of substantive discussion, the lack of listening to the "other side," and the torrent of content often based on half-truths, phobias, and prejudices.
