“Jump! Even if you don’t know how, just say yes. Just say yes to opportunities.”
Ph. Joanna Tkaczuk
Hello Kasia! You’re definitely a visionary and an innovative Artist in your field, would like to share with Us what exactly lighted You up at first? An event, a picture, a natural element, a song…
Thank you very much for your kind words Janet. It’s a tough question! My artwork evolved over many years, and started from drawings. It was form of self-therapy at that time, I was 15, maybe 16. I was always fascinated by body shapes, and was craving to create them somehow myself. There was a time that I couldn’t find reference for a drawing I wanted to make, so I decided to model for pictures myself. I felt something new being in front of the camera, naked, without shame. Felt powerful. My adventure with modelling expanded, and soon after that I was asked by one of the photographers Katarzyna Konarska, if I would like to try shibari. She showed me Araki’s work as a reference. I agreed. Something more than artistic vision changed in me on that photo shoot – I had to let go, and that’s when I felt something close to what I feel these days on the stage. Feeling of freedom and restraint at the exactly same time. And the magic of the rope dust in the air, floating and falling so slowly in the light of the sun coming through the window. There was something so performative about that day. I decided to try again, and again, and explore this field deeper. Now, many different things moves me, sound mostly, and minimalism in many forms.
From which geographic area all started and where/how your path evolved? From today on where will you go tomorrow?
I was born in Poland, and my story with art started there, but back then it was only hobby. I never thought I could be an artist. I was repressing this word from my mind for cultural reasons and the upbringing that I experienced in young age. I moved to Scotland when I was 23, and then very quickly been introduced to theatre, dance, fetish scene. At first I was petrified, then fascinated, and after I went for the first time to see a physical theatre performance in Glasgow at the age of 24 I felt that this is where I should be, where I belong and where I can express myself to the fullest. I realised that there’s no censorship to your thoughts and visions in Scotland. That this country is not soaked with Christianity and taboos. I was hungry to explore, and I still am. Where will I be tomorrow? I don’t know, but I tend to say yes to most of challenging opportunities. Only recently due to my injury I had to step back from serious physical theatre work, but there’s still all the time in the world to go through this path.
How closed and how far is your art from shibari, are there any butoh elements involved?
Hmmmmmm, this one is difficult to answer. Like I mentioned earlier, it all started from shibari. At the time when I started it was more decorative one, then started going into traditional Japanese style – but that was then I was tied as a model. I took elements of shibari, the tool that is rope, and all health and safety that I knew from Japanese masters and applied it onto self-suspension that I practice, teach and present on the stage. I would say it’s pretty far from shibari and Kinbaku. I use rope as a tool to express my feelings and visions. I don’t use ropes like in Kinbaku, where it’s about exchange of power and trust between rigger and the person that is tied. I never studied butoh, although I collaborated once with butoh artis at one of the art festivals here in Edinburgh. She shared with me her passion for this artform, and I shared mine about ropes. I admire and respect butoh artists, this is an incredibly hard dance technique, but I was never drawn to this personally.
Your work and the outside concept is very pleasant for the eyes, but what’s under the surface that we can’t really see and eventually is the strongest part of the art process?
For me it’s isolation. I don’t meet with many people when I am in the process of creating a new piece. I see only my son, my dog, and if I find a bit of energy I would see the closest friends only.
Ph. No One Studio, London
Kasia, since this blog explores and has the purpose to inspire others to push themselves out of comfort zones and redefine themselves with eventually new boundaries, would you please share your story of being a mum and travelling artist?
I feel the luckiest that I have strong circle of loving and supportive friends around me here in Scotland. Without them it would be nearly impossible for me to do what I do for so long. It will be 10 years soon since I started performing and I never had to resign from the opportunity to travel just because I am a single mother. I also don’t have parents, so I am the most grateful to everyone who looked after my son each time I was going away. I sometimes felt guilty when I was leaving my son at home, that was especially when I was travelling to very cool places that I knew he would love to go to, but he never felt upset about it and was enjoying time spent with my friends. You know, they let him watch cartoons and play on xbox much longer than I would allow him! They would organise creative activities with him when I was away, so he never felt neglected. I would always and I still am – text or call before departing on the plane, when I land, in the morning to say “good morning” and ask what he had for breakfast, middle of the day and in the evening. Most of the time he was annoyed that I called so often, but I would prefer for him to be annoyed with my calls, than upset ,feeling left or forgotten.
When he turned 15 I wanted to give him a bit of a freedom and I stopped calling that often, I limited it only to 3 calls a day when I am away, and what melts my heart is that he is the one calling me now. Most of the time to tell me about his day and asking how is my work going and if I am okay.
There was one time, last year, when he was about to turn 15, when I was absolutely heartbroken because I had job exactly on his birthday. I asked him, of course, if he would like me to do not take that job, he said he doesn’t mind at all. I was emotional that entire weekend and I would cry a lot.
There’s something so special about his birthday, that’s when we were both born – he as a human, and me as a new person with a new purpose. He was born on the 6th of June at 2:31am. When I held him for the first time he would hold my finger with his tiny hand. Since then, each year on the 6th of June, I would go to his bedroom to hold his hand at 2:31am. Last year I couldn’t and it was breaking my heart. He said he will stay up until 2:30 so I can call him. And so he did. He stayed up and picked up my phone call. We both cried a little. I still have eyes full of tears as I am typing this.
What I am trying to say is that being a mother doesn’t mean you can’t make your dreams come true, your passions to evolve, and that you can’t travel. It means that every time you travel you have someone to come back to, who will miss you, who will appreciate your presence, who will learn from you to reach for their dreams. You will show your child an example that you can be both and love both, performing and being a parent. Being a mother is the biggest role in my life and something that I chose to be, my son is my world, my biggest motivation and my biggest support (even though these days he is a typical grumpy teenager!). Since he was small I would take him to family friendly events I would perform at, and take him on photo shoots whenever I could. He knows everything about that I do and is beyond understanding and respectful towards my life choices. That way he was open minded from the very young age. He seen a lot, he met so many creative and colourful people, from different countries, different ethnicities, genders etc. Now, when he turned 16, he can come with me to most of the events, which is absolutely great!
Is there any advice you want to give to all the people who wish to free themselves into a new experience of self expression?
Jump! Even if you don’t know how, just say yes. Of course all within safety, so check who is your teacher, who is an event organiser, photographer, rigger etc. References is the key to being safe. I always, always check who I am going to. You need to love yourself and look after yourself, especially if you are about to do it on your own. Check with your doctors regularly, as without health it’s not easy to be adventurous. Regular blood check, dentist, and other basic specialists are essential. Besides of that? Just say yes to opportunities. Even if someone offers you type of photo shoot, performance or anything else that you never tried before, it doesn’t mean you are not going to be great at this. If you don’t know how, ask those that do know – most of the people love to share their passions with others. As they say, fake it till you make it!
Meet Kasia http://www.skinny-art.co.uk/ <3