IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER

In the organizer's words:

Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski, founders of the Polish KONIK STUDIO, spent six years in County Cavan on the Irish-Northern Irish border. They observed, listened and interpreted. This is how the IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER project came about - a mix of animations, a video installation, digital graphics, recordings, 2D and 3D works and objects. IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER is a story about places, people and their fates. But also about faith, nature and connectedness.

At the heart of the project is the animated film of the same name IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER - an interpretation of Irish legends about the beginning of the River Shannon (the source of the Shannon, the "Shannon Pot", is in Cavan) and the myth of the Salmon of Knowledge (bradán feasa in Irish). Together with Mariusz Kleszczewski (composition, editing and animation of the characters), Yann Ciennik and Krzysztof Jaworski (music), Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski have created a work that has won several international awards - bound to nature, gloomy and hopeful at the same time.

Amazing places such as crannogs (natural and artificial islands in lakes), megaliths and sacred wells as well as deeper insights into the lives and stories of the people who live on the Emerald Isle can be seen in the documentary film OILEÁN (Irish for "island"), which is also part of the project.

The project was initiated in 2017 as part of the "Bullock Lane" Artist in Residence in County Cavan, Ireland. Individual elements of the project were presented at international art festivals in Germany (NordART 2021, Zukunftsvisionen 2020), in the USA (Solas Nua in Washington DC 2018), in Finland (Art Li Biennale 2018) and in Poland (InSPIRACJE, Szczecin 2017).

The film IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER has been presented at numerous film festivals, including in: Ireland, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Spain or Georgia. It won the award for best animation at the 20th Clones Film Festival and a special mention at the Fano International Film Festival in Italy.

Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski, founders of the Polish KONIK STUDIO, spent six years in County Cavan on the Irish-Northern Irish border. They observed, listened and interpreted. This is how the IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER project came about - a mix of animations, a video installation, digital graphics, recordings, 2D and 3D works and objects. IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER is a story about places, people and their fates. But also about beliefs, nature and connectedness.

At the heart of the project is the animated film of the same name IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER - an interpretation of Irish legends about the beginning of the River Shannon (the source of the Shannon, the "Shannon Pot", is situated in Cavan) and the myth of the Salmon of Knowledge (bradán feasa in Irish). Together with Mariusz Kleszczewski (composition, editing and animation of the characters), Yann Ciennik and Krzysztof Jaworski (music), Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski have created a work that has won several international awards - at once nature-bound, gloomy and hopeful.

Amazing places such as crannogs (natural and artificial islands in lakes), megaliths and sacred wells as well as deeper insights into the life and stories of the people who inhabit the green island can be seen in the documentary film OILEÁN (Irish for "island"), which is also part of the project.

The project was initiated in 2017, on account of the County Cavan "Bullock Lane" artist residency in Ireland. Individual elements of the project were presented at international art festivals in Germany (NordART 2021, Zukunftsvisionen 2020), in the USA (Solas Nua in Washington DC 2018), in Finland (Art Li Biennale 2018) and in Poland (InSPIRACJE, Szczecin 2017).


The film IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER was presented at numerous film festivals, including in: Ireland, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Spain or Georgia. It won the award for best animation at the 20th Clones Film Festival and a special mention at the Fano International Film Festival in Italy.

KONIK STUDIO

Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski are an award-winning duo of filmmakers and visual artists. Both graduated from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland.

Their works have been presented at over a hundred international film festivals and art exhibitions and have received prizes and awards. In 2023 (Kasia) and 2022 (Paweł) they received the grant from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for the production of a series of animated films "Ajtia" inspired by Polish folklore. In 2013 they founded Konik Studio in Cavan, Ireland. They live and work in Szczecin, Poland.

Kasia Zimnoch and Paweł Kleszczewski are award winning duo of filmmakers and visual artists.Both graduated MA on Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland.

Their works have been presented at over a hundred international film festivals and art exhibitions, winning awards and distinctions .In 2023 (Kasia) and 2022 (Paweł) they received the Scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for the production of a series of animated films "Ajtia" inspired by Polish folklore.

Opening hours:
10.5. - 23.6.2024
Tue-Fri / 11am-5pm
and during events