Filip Rybicki „Felician Syndrome ”*

An article appeared in the local newspaper describing the story of an ancestor of mine, who tried to assassinate the local parish priest because the latter had insulted my ancestor’s father. In the family, this sparked a passionate discussion about the whole situation. Grandfather described it thusly: "a lie, an insult to the family, and an insult to a freedom fighter...". My uncle and aunt both implied that "he was a morphine addict and an adventurer". My grandfather managed to bite his tongue. When I and my cousin were asked what we thought, I realised I did not know.

One of my family’s traits is a casual interpretation of what has happened. Caring about their bourgeois roots, an attachment to tradition, a fondness for porcelain and club chairs. We all live cheek by jowl in a family tenement house. It’s a place where everyone is interested in everyone, everything must be sterile, and if anything ever goes pear shaped, it's best that no one outside the family gets wind of it.

In the series, I decided to show the situation from my perspective, the youngest generation. Where oppression at times gets too difficult to bear. The mementoes around me get on my nerves, and the family home becomes a place from which, despite one’s best efforts, it is impossible to escape.

* The title refers to the male protagonist of the book "The Morality of Mrs Dulska" by Gabriela Zapolska.