Love Speech
2020, artistic intervention, inscription etched into glass, Wrocław Market Square
Wrocław 70/20 Symposium
The year 2020 in Poland was, amongst other things, a time of disputes concerning the conduct of the presidential election, the government reshuffle, and issues related to the rule of law and human rights. The work is a commentary on the socio-political situation at the time, which contributed to polarisation and an intensification of disturbing social sentiments. Among citizens, there was a perceived need to demonstrate and reinforce their own (world)views, alongside a lack of willingness to engage in dialogue. The means of expression employed in this context often took the form of a kind of symbolic violence, which gave rise to further conflicts. The conviction that one’s cause was just and the imperative to fight led individuals or groups to appropriate public space. What is freedom of speech today? What kind of freedom? Whose speech?
