Natalia Wiśniewska

Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail

Year 2016 Medium Sculpture (used towels, starch, paint) + Performative installation (aluminium screen, used towels) Dimensions 3 sculptures together: 103 x 80 x 10 cm, aluminium screen: 190 x 190 x 5 cm, big amount of used towels

The main context of creation the sculptures is the so-called in Poland the “wave”. This hazing ritual is a occurence of building up of an informal hierarchy/subculture (mainly in the environment of men) undergoing mandatory military service. It is associated with physical and mental abuse of older experienced men over the younger ones. This phenomenon can also be observed in schools, boarding schools, camps or colonies. One of the methods of punishment – determining the hierarchy – were so called blanket parties, which consisted of strong beating with towel-made hazing instruments such as blanket party flail, carrot & rat’s tail via a thrown blanket over the sleeping people heads.


Realized within the framework of the exhibition Ratcatcher at MWW Wroclaw, curated by Piotr Lisowski

Documentation: Małgorzata Kujda. Courtesy of MWW

Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 1
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 2
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 3
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 4
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 5
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 6
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 7
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 8
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 9
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 10
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 11
Carrot, blanket party flail & rat’s tail View 12
© 2026 Natalia Wiśniewska — Site by elefantcat
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