Julia Romanowska

Department: Man and Communication
Website: juliaromanowska.com

The School of Duality

What: A video that explores the duality of attitudes towards the Catholic Church in Poland through interviews with family members and public displays of tension.

How: The video features on Julia Romanowska’s family members, footage of demonstrations, and an artwork based on the School of Athens by Raphael, which speaks of duality within one discipline. The painting is overlaid with imagery that reflects the current state of the Polish Catholic Church, which still wields substantial power.

Why: To merge the polarised pro-church and anti-church narratives that not only dominate the public space but also fracture the internal fabric of individual families. The project draws on Julia’s experience of Catholic teaching and confrontation with the falsities of those who taught it. 

Quote: “Viewers hear both sides of the story and decide for themselves”