On stage, I become myself (ages 4–6)

The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw invites you to a creative family workshop titled “On Stage, I Dress as Myself.” The event accompanies the exhibition “Maria Jarema: Cracked Modernism.” This time, our main inspiration will be the unique costumes conceived and designed by the artist herself.

A costume is an extraordinary tool. Thanks to it, actors and performers can reinforce the message they convey to the audience. At the beginning of our meeting, we will visit the exhibition and take a close look at the outfits created by Maria Jarema. We will pay attention to their shapes and colors. Together, we’ll consider whether they resemble everyday clothes or rather avant-garde costumes from another dimension. We’ll also try to guess what roles the people who wore them on stage were playing.

After visiting the exhibition, we’ll head to the workshop room and create our own costumes.

Importantly, these won’t be disguises! We don’t want to pretend to be someone else or hide behind a mask. Instead, we’ll make outfits that let us express ourselves—outfits that highlight our unique traits, character, and way of seeing the world. We’ll use a variety of materials and artistic techniques to explore how we can show others what’s most interesting about us and how to tell our own stories through art.

Gabriela Żylińska – educator, visual artist, and activist. She focuses primarily on textile art. She works with groups ranging in age from 3 to 90. She is studying art education at the Institute of Art Education at APS.