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Did you play with dolls as a child? Did you create worlds for them? Were they figures made of scraps of fabric, paper, or modelled from plasticine? What remains of those memories?

Dolls are usually associated with childhood, and playing with dolls is commonly attributed to children; however, in many cultures dolls also hold an important place in the adult world.

“I myself remember from childhood a doll sitting in a place of honour, on a doily, at my beloved grandmother’s country home. It was not a doll for playing. It was an observer of reality — decorative and ceremonial,” recalls the workshop facilitator.

In distant Japan, dolls accompany people at many significant moments. Various figurines are given on the occasion of festivals or with a particular intention. In North America, many Indigenous peoples create protective and intention dolls. Most of us are familiar with voodoo dolls (usually as a cinematic motif). In recent years in Poland, magical motanka dolls, originating from the territories of Ukraine, have become increasingly popular.

We will speak about all of this during the workshop and present examples.

Drawing on her own experience of creating figures and on previous workshops devoted to doll-making, Ewa Lewandowska will guide participants along an intuitive path towards creating their own dolls. The dolls made on site can be taken home.

moderator: Ewa Lewandowska

registration: joanna.tekla@arsenal.art.pl