About us, team

Mission

RHIZOME is a place devoted to issues of participatory art and participatory design present in contemporary art since the 90s of the 20th century, as well as to actions on them precursor, initiated in the 70s, omitted in the mainstream description of the history of contemporary art. The activities undertaken by RHIZOME are to prevent the emergence of a research gap regarding the aforementioned area of ​​culture as well as the promotion of artistic, social and ethical aspects of participatory creative activities. The way RHIZOME operates is based on the principle of cooperation and exchange with centers dealing with similar issues in Poland and abroad.

In the sphere of ideas, RHIZOME refers to the rhizome concept proposed by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari in the Mille plateaux. Capitalisme et schizophrénie (1980). The French authors compare to the rhizome the ways in which contemporary philosophical, political and cultural thought. Used as a symbolic image of the specifics of participatory art and participatory design, the structure of the rhizome is intended to indicate a characteristic departure from the hierarchical understanding of both the roles of the creator / designer and forms of artistic / design production for the orientation of inclusive and networking cooperation of many participants of social life .

Organizer

The Cultures beyond Culture Foundation in cooperation with the City Culture Institute in Gdańsk.

Main areas of activity

• implementation of research, workshop and creative projects in the areas of the above-mentioned fields;
• archival and documentation activity of projects implemented in Poland and, as far as possible, abroad;
• disseminating knowledge on these issues by organizing meetings, lectures, seminars and conferences;
• publication of publications on participatory art and participatory design;
• networking of initiatives and institutions dealing with this area.