With this post, we are finishing our week of taking over the Instagram account of Rethinking Eastern Europe. We invite you to follow our activities on our Instagram @grupalono To conclude, we present two projects: Płaczki and Funeral Polka. Cry Babies (Płaczki) draws from the polish tradition of mourning women, or professional weepers, who acted as guides through grief. This work transforms collective sorrow into shared experience, creating a contemporary space for understanding, community, and empathy. Near the Odra River in Wrocław’s Rakowiec, we performed our own diy symbolic funeral ritual. Dressed in costumes inspired by traditional Polish folk scarves , we dug a shared grave in nature, each of us burying personal symbols of what we wished to mourn and release.The performance space became a reflective journey, where each participant could engage in personal rituals of closure and transformation. Funeral Polka is a series of analogue photographs depicting a ritual dance of death and rebirth. In this series, our stylizations draw inspiration from Polish folklore and culture. We braided our hair and adorned it with ribbons in the colors of the Polish flag, participating in a wild, liberating, almost childlike dance. This emotional gesture reflects the cyclical nature of life and death, beginnings and endings. This project references rituals associated with the drowning of Marzanna. In Slavic mythology, the pagan goddess Marzanna symbolizes winter and the death of nature. In folk tradition, her effigy is burned or drowned to mark the symbolic transition from winter to spring. This ritual of cleansing and renewal inspired us to portray transformation—a symbolic act of letting go of what no longer serves us and embracing a new beginning. Continuation of the text in comment section:

Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, many people in need of support sought refuge in Poland. Simultaneously, the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border escalated due to the ongoing migration crisis. In response, we chose not to remain indifferent to these events. We organised an exhibition and a series of workshops, with all proceeds donated to the Podróżnych Ugościć Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting individuals with migration experiences. Grupa Łono, WYDECHY Sklep Galeria Karowa 16.07.–23.07.2022 Breathe… calmly, consciously inhale… think about yourself, your desires … dreams … what do you long for? … Surrender to what you feel exhale… release it, … let it flow onto the paper Don’t judge… The concept of the exhibition was based on inviting women and non-binary creative individuals and sending them identical materials—so-called “kits”—onto which they poured their free expression. The result of this collaborative, circular process was the WYDECHY (Exhales) exhibition. Group activities strengthened the sense of agency and allowed for the creation, renewal, or transformation of personal connections between creative individuals and the world. All the artworks, sketches, notes, and traces were displayed side by side on the wall, forming a collective collage—a map of liberated emotions. Exhales were exercises in broadly understood sisterhood, with art and its creation serving as a form of self-therapy, a way to examine one’s fears, and an internal dialogue with oneself. Schedule of Accompanying Events Performance by Grupa Lono Sisterhood - connecting threads jik (DJ set) Intuitive Dance with Kala from Pieśni Pełni Circle Gathering ( inspired by Women’s Circle Gathering tradition ) with Marcelina and Marta Self-Massage Workshop with Karolina Chyc Thursday Dinner - Art manifesto writing and brunching ( Obiady czwartkowe ) Exhales Painting Workshop Curated by @marcelinaamelia @m.art.a.borkowska

We are Grupa Łono, @grupalono a feminist art incubator founded in 2021 by Marcelina amelia @marcelinaamelia and Marta Borkowska @m.art.a.borkowska We’ve known each other since we were teenagers at art school in Poland, and it was a shared dream that reconnected us years later. Grupa Łono was born out of our conversations and voice messages—moments that became the foundation of our first performance, Shadow Girl Slit. At a time when Poland’s political climate, especially the near-total abortion ban, forced women, non-binary individuals, and others to fight every day for the freedom of their bodies, we felt a need to create an antidote—a space for free expression, compassion, and fun. Since then, we’ve curated numerous exhibitions, workshops, performances, community, and charity events. Our work focuses on themes like emotional blockages, our connection to nature, and the bonds we create with one another. Rooted in sensitivity and empathy, we organize gatherings where people can come together to experience, learn, and support each other. Spanning photography, video, sound, painting, and performance, Grupa Łono speaks the language of bodies and emotions—a collective voice for resistance, healing, and solidarity.

It’s the last day of @photolondonfair . A huge thank you to everyone who visited the stand. It was wonderful to share my work with so many people. Today, you can see the Rethinking Eastern Europe exhibition at stand J02 at Olympia Kensington from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Works on display: Alexandra Joanna Baker @al3xba_art Diana Serban @battlegrounds19 Grupa Łono @grupalono Ksenia Kazintseva @essentialaspects @tinysassyspoon Laura Bivolaru @laura_bivolaru Magda Kuca @kuca_magda Maria Gvardeitseva @maria.gvard Marcelina Amelia @marcelinaamelia Michaela Nagyidaiová @michaelanagyidaiova Paulina Korobkiewicz @pakropka Vera Hadzhiyska @verahadzhiyska Zula Rabikowska @zula.ra Zsuzsanna Ida Papp @papp_ida_zsuzsanna Fot. 3 @thearchiveroom______________

At @photolondonfair we are showcasing photographs from the series “Płaczki” and “Polka Funeralna”. We are part of the @re.thinking.eastern.europe proudly sharing the history and culture of Eastern Europe. Exhibition curated by @zula.ra with financial support @mickiewicz_institute 🫶🏻❤️ Opening hours: Saturday, May 16: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM Sunday, May 17: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Discovery Booth J02 Photo London @olimpialondon

Thank you to everyone who came to visit the Rethinking Eastern Europe @re.thinking.eastern.europe booth, spent time with the work, and shared conversations with us 💫 We’re incredibly grateful for your participation in this year’s fair. You can still visit us at booth J02 until May 17th. Opening hours: Saturday, 16 May: 11:00–20:00 Sunday, 17 May: 11:00–18:00 See you at @photolondonfair #photolondon

Opening tonight! Very excited to be a part of @photolondonfair | @re.thinking.eastern.europe Install day ✅ The booth is finally coming together and we can’t wait to share it with you at @photolondonfair Come visit @re.thinking.eastern.europe at Booth J02, Olympia Kensington, from 13–17 May and experience the work of artists from Central and Eastern Europe and the diaspora. A huge thank you to @zula.ra and @verahadzhiyska for the incredible curation, and to our sponsors @mickiewicz_institute and @acf_london for supporting the project. See you at Photo London 👀 #photolondon #rethinkingeasterneurope #contemporaryphotography

Only less than a week to go until @photolondonfair ✨ We’re excited to present the work of 12 artists at Discovery Booth J02, bringing together photography-led practices that explore migration, memory, identity, belonging, and post-socialist visual culture. Through analogue and digital photography, the presentation creates a dialogue around personal and collective histories. The works aim to challenge simplified narratives of “Eastern Europe” and opening space for more intimate and nuanced perspectives. Come and see the incredible work by: Alexandra Joanna Baker @al3xba_art Diana Serban @battlegrounds19 Grupa Łono @grupalono Ksenia Kazintseva @essentialaspects @tinysassyspoon Laura Bivolaru @laura_bivolaru Magda Kuca @kuca_magda Maria Gvardeitseva @maria.gvard Marcelina Amelia @marcelinaamelia Michaela Nagyidaiová @michaelanagyidaiova Paulina Korobkiewicz @pakropka Vera Hadzhiyska @verahadzhiyska Zula Rabikowska @zula.ra Zsuzsanna Ida Papp @papp_ida_zsuzsanna 13–17 May Discovery Booth J02 With special thanks to our sponsors @mickiewicz_institute and @acf_london ✨ #photolondon #rethinkingeasterneurope #contemporaryphotography

@marcelinaamelia I’m ending my takeover with project by @grupalono titled Płaczki. Which we had pleasure of exhibiting recently at International Triennial of Textile at Museum of Textile in Poland @centralnemuzeumwlokiennictwa and you will be able to see a image from that project at the upcoming @photolondonfair | Płaczki (eng.Weepers ) draws from the Polish tradition of mourning women, or professional weepers, who acted as guides through grief. This work transforms collective sorrow into a shared experience, creating a contemporary space for understanding, community, and empathy. Near the Odra River in Wrocław’s Rakowiec, we performed our own diy symbolic funeral ritual. Dressed in costumes inspired by traditional Polish folk scarves, we dug a shared grave in nature, each of us burying personal symbols of what we wished to mourn and release. The performance space became a reflective journey, where each participant could engage in personal rituals of closure and transformation. The audio for this piece was recorded by Gosia Wrzosek, a collection of traditional Polish funeral songs that she transcribed from elderly individuals in rural Poland. These laments, filled with a raw consciousness of life and death, release the voice—physically unblocking the throat and emotionally releasing grief. Traditionally, these songs accompanied the deceased and allowed mourners to express their loss collectively. They tell of life cycles, of earth and compost, and question the mystery of life after death @grupalono ( @marcelinaamelia and @m.art.a.borkowska ) install photos by @joanna_wierzbicka

Hi everyone, I’m Marcelina Amelia @marcelinaamelia and I’m taking over the @re.thinking.eastern.europe Instagram this week. I’m a multidisciplinary artist born in Częstochowa, Poland, and based in Brighton, UK. My practice spans painting, print, textile, photography, installation, video, and performance. Drawing from my Polish heritage, I explore migration, motherhood, mental health, feminism, spirituality, personal rituals, and dreams, with a strong focus on memory both personal and collective and the transformative power of storytelling. I’m also founder of the feminist art incubator @grupalono which I created together with @m.art.a.borkowska I’m currently preparing for Photo London @photolondonfair in May, where I’ll be showing work as part of the Discovery section with Rethinking Eastern Europe. One of the works I’ll be presenting is Funeral Polka, a photograph by Grupa Łono @grupalono The work captures a ritual of death and rebirth, where performers in futuristic costumes adorned with braids and ribbons in the colours of the Polish flag take part in a personal funeral ritual to mourn, to part with, and to symbolically bury the past. The work references the Slavic figure of Marzanna, associated with death and seasonal renewal, and echoes themes of bodily autonomy and resistance to systems that try to control women’s lives. It ends in a collective, liberating dance where grief turns into release, and endings become beginnings. I’ll be sharing more from my practice throughout the takeover.

We are happy to announce our next exhibition: #Repost @photolondonfair ・・・ Rethinking Eastern Europe, Discovery: Rethinking Eastern Europe (@re.thinking.eastern.europe ) is a collaborative platform and publication initiative that focuses on visual cultures across Eastern Europe and its diasporas, foregrounding projects that examine histories, identities and contested geographies through photography and related practices. The programme supports research‑led editions, exhibitions and critical discourse that expand understanding of the region’s diverse artistic lineages. At Photo London, Rethinking Eastern Europe will present a curated selection from its publication projects and contributing artists, highlighting work that engages with archival inquiry, social histories and visual representation across shifting cultural contexts. The presentation reflects the platform’s commitment to situated practices that interrogate past and present.

Publication from the Textile Triennial exhibition in Łódź @centralnemuzeumwlokiennictwa ✨ Our work PŁACZKI @grupalono has also found its place within the pages of this publication. For us, it’s an important trace of presence — a record of the process, emotions, and shared experience that accompanied this work. Thank you for letting us be part of this story 💫 #publikacja #centralnemuzeumwłókiennictwa #triennaletkaniny