Pokot
*a ceremonial display of the animals killed during a hunt
(2017)
Photo: Igor Haloszka
Pokot is an art installation that addresses the destruction caused by human activity in the Białowieża Forest, one of the last remaining natural lowland forests in Europe. The felled trees, lying next to each other, represent an ecological disaster — the result of monocultural forestry practices that weaken the forest as a living organism. The simplified structure of the forest makes it more susceptible to diseases, and in the case of a mass bark beetle infestation, it leads to degradation. In a natural ecosystem, biodiversity plays a stabilizing role, while monoculture disrupts the biological balance.
In the installation, gilded animal antlers mounted on the fallen trunks introduce both an ironic and sacred dimension. The antlers, referencing the tradition of pokot — a ceremony that concludes a hunt — become a grotesque commentary on the absurdity of human actions. The celebration of animal death in the name of tradition contrasts with the reality of nature’s destruction.
The fallen trees create chaos and destruction, reflecting the mismanagement of natural resources. In this place, the forest, instead of serving as a stable ecosystem, becomes a field for experiments related to forestry practices.
