Jana Shostak

author biographical note degree piece

NEWMAN / NEWWOMAN / NEWMANS

The action of introducing a substitute word for the stigmatising one: “refugee”. With the help of social and mass media, I have attempted to disseminate the non-existent noun “newman” (“nowak”), which is a homonym of the most popular surname in Poland. With the help of a media wave, including participation in the TV show Polish@Polish dictionary, numerous radio programs and interviews published in the press and the Internet, I have instilled the word into the space of language.

I defended my degree piece, presented on 67 screens located in the Saturn shop in Złote Tarasy shopping mall in Warsaw on June 20th, the World Newman Day.

More information at facebook: nowacy.

(born 1993)
Graduated from the Faculty of Media Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (2017). In the artistic practice, her focus is on activities that activate / hack the non-art system. Grand Prix winner at Młode Wilki 16 festival; Critics’ Award in the Best Degree Pieces 2017; 1st award in the competition at In Out Festival (2017), Robert Biedroń Award in the “Rybie Oko” Young Art Biennial (2017) and Honorary Mention StartPoint, Prague (2017). Participant of: Manifesto 11 The European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Zurich (2016), WRO 2017 BIENNALE: DRAFT SYSTEMS, Wrocław (2017).