Ryszard Kapuściński. Encounters.
October 25-26, 2007
The Old Town Hall in Gdańsk
It is difficult to describe in a concise way Ryszard Kapuściński's role in Polish and world culture: author of many preeminent literary reportages, international journalist and moral authority, intellectual with versatile interests, traveler, photographer, thinker, poet, daredevil… In other words, a real Renaissance Man, a tangle of two ways of life - vita activa and vita contemplativa. Kapuściński’s personality is wide-ranging, rich and perhaps undecipherable…
He used to say that he didn’t “comprehend the world”, but his researchers would gladly paraphrase this into: “We don’t comprehend Kapuściński”. He wrote a dozen or so books with a fascinating flourish in their geographic and thought horizon.
During his travel writing journeys, he visited almost every place in the world – the Indies and China to begin with, his beloved Africa, the former Soviet Union countries, Iran, Latin America, as well as the United States and Western European countries described in his Lapidarium. On the way he collected ideas for works of remarkably interdisciplinary range of themes, books attracting a wide spectrum of readers, providing inspiration for journalists, literature scientists, political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, historians… Magnitude of the intellectual horizons of his writing has its appeal and yet it teaches intellectual humility – a value so close to the author of The Emperor.
Recollections about Kapuściński invariably bring to mind the memories of encounters with him. Those who met him in person almost always remember his ability to listen, his focused interest in another person, warmth which emitted from him. The author of Ebony had a capability to relate to other people, a talent and insight necessary to enter into dialogue with them - including people from different cultures.
One may find it hard to say when exactly – in addition to his talent, gift or personality characteristic - he formed this peculiar theory of his: the philosophy of encounter rooted in years long experience. In the compilation of lectures That Other he reveals the context in which the idea ripened. Namely, the knowledge he gained during his own reporter practice he deepened with reading anthropologists’ works (including Edward Evans-Pritchard, Bronisław Malinowski or Claude LÓvi Strauss) and philosophers of dialogue – Emanuel LÓvinas, Martin Buber and Józef Tischner.
Apparently the phenomenon of Kapusciński’s creative work relies on his double testimony. He was an eye-witness of a large number of wars and revolutions, simultaneously bearing witness to the very act of encounter: he would constantly enter into dialogue with another human being and make an effort to understand their “separateness”.
In the project: „Ryszard Kapuściński: Encounters”, we approach the very act of “encounter” as, at the same time, one of the most essential themes throughout his works and a metaphor that allows us a look at his creative activity from various angles – literary, sociologist, anthropological, journalistic as well as the reader’s. (Magdalena Horodecka)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Old Town Hall in Gdańsk, ul. Korzenna 33/35
10.00
Motta – In memoriam
Prologue
Magdalena Horodecka – The Motif of Face in Kapuściński’s Works
The Motif of Encounter in Kapuściński’s Works
literary panel; chairperson: Magdalena Horodecka
Jerzy Jarzębski – Reportage as the Language Encounter
Katarzyna Mroczkowska-Brand – Encounter with the Other on the Border of Sophisticated Literature and the Literature of Fact. Works of Ryszard Kapuściński and authors seeking this encounter
Tomasz łubieński – Ryszard Kapuściński as a Literary Figure
Beata Nowacka – Dilemmas of Encounter on the Example of „Shah of Shahs” by Ryszard Kapuściński
Anders Bodegård – Encounter via Translation, Translate via Encounter
Małgorzata Czermińska – Voices of the Human Family: on Ryszard Kapuściński’s Art of Writing
15:00
Encounter with the World … Ryszard Kapuściński on Problems of Contemporary World
socio-anthropological panel discussion; chairperson: Cezary Olbracht Prondzyński
Wojciech Burszta – ‘The Other’ in Ryszard Kapuściński’s Works – from reportage to LÓvinas
Piotr Kłodkowski – Ryszard Kapuściński as a ‘bridge-builder’
Kazimierz Krzysztofek – The Clash of Civilizations, the exchange and culture of gift
Ks. Krzysztof Niedałtowski – Spirituality of the Other
17.30
Dialogue with the Master. Kapuściński’s followers
journalistic panel discussion; chairperson: Krystyna Kurczab-Redlich
Witold Bereś – Smile as a Means of Communication
Krzysztof Burnetko – Would Ryszard Kapuściński Succeed in Today’s Media World
Krystyna Kurczab-Redlich – Kapuściński – a Community of Feeling
Friday, October 26, 2007
Central Library of the University of Gdańsk, ul. Wita Stwosza 53
11.00
Photo and Book Exhibition: „Ryszard Kapuściński. Encounters”
(open till 30.11.2007, opening times: 9.00-20.00, Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-15.00)
Photos – Ryszard Kapuściński
Photo Selection – Izabela Wojciechowska
Exhibition Scenerio and Arrangement – Anna Stolarska
The exhibited photos were taken in Africa during Ryszard Kapuściński’s numerous journeys. A Polish Agency Press correspondent, this accomplished writer and reporter worked and lived there for a few years. His photographs bear testimony to his fascination with ‘separateness’ and human closeness of the Black Land. According to him, Africa is a ‘separate planet, diverse cosmos.’ The photos do not illustrate his texts but are a separate field of sensitivity, providing complementation of the Artist’s world - very valuable since by means of pictures new content is conveyed, what any careful observer will easily notice.
My Africa – Discussion with the presence of Lawrence Okey Ugwu, Ewa Chylak-Wińska
The Old Town Hall in Gdańsk, ul. Korzenna 33/35
16.00
About journeys that do not teach. Meeting with Ignacy Karpowicz
Chairperson: Piotr Millati
17.30
A Poet on the Frontline: The Reportage of Ryszard Kapuscinski directed by Gabrielle Pfeiffer (2003)
Meeting with film’s author lead Miroslaw Przylipiak
Filmmaker Gabrielle Pfeiffer traveled with Kapuscinski in four countries, capturing his true character, his passion, his humor and his demons. Her film interweaves Kapuscinski's childhood as a refugee in Poland during WWII, with his later experiences on the battlefields of the Third World, in a poetic reverie of the tragedy and the absurdity of war. It also looks at the lines between journalism and literature, and challenges of the writer in the face of censorship.
For no one has influenced me more as a documentary filmmaker than Kapuscinski. Beyond the invaluable world-weary wisdom, the marvel of his storytelling skills, the miracle of his optimism amidst unforgettable tales of horror, wonder, and absurdity, Kapuscinski beckons us to lose our fear of turning real life into art. (Gabrielle Pfeiffer)
19.00
Evening for Ryszard Kapuściński’s readers
Chairperson: Krystyna Chwin
Prepared under the 3.Festival of World Cultures Window onto the World
Realized with financial support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Exhibition Organization:
Gdańsk University
www.ug.gda.pl
Project Originator – Bronisława Dejna
Realization – Ola Kminikowska
Scientific Research – Magdalena Horodecka
Exhibition Organization – Ewa Potaż
Photos – Ryszard Kapuściński, Magdalena Chotkowska, Gabrielle Pfeiffer
In memoriam – Małgorzata Klinkosz, Grażyna Król, Małgorzata Matysek, Marta Szpyt, Ola Kminikowska, Magdalena Horodecka
Medial Patronage:
Gazeta Wyborcza, Radio Gdańsk, portal Trojmiasto.pl, TVP 3 Gdańsk, Wirtualna Polska, Wrota Pomorza
Sponsors:
Hotel Wolne Miasto
The organizers would like to thank Ms. Izabela Wojciechowska and the following Publishing Houses: Buffi and Znak for their help in the organization of the project.
