Where does the familiar map end, and where does the true story of a place begin? What lies beneath the surface of the landscape—in its history, memories, and the lives of the people who shaped it? The spring edition of the literary series “On the Other Side” is an invitation to journey through Poland as seen in a different light—more deeply, more attentively, off the beaten path.
Thanks to Anna Kamińska and Tomasz Słomczyński, we’ll take our readers deep into the Bieszczady Mountains and below sea level—to the Żuławy region. We’ll explore the histories of these places and the people connected to them. We’ll delve into the past —both historical and in terms of the landscape—about who once inhabited these regions, what became of the ethnic groups that settled there, and what role they played for the local population. We’ll consider what attracts tourists there today and whether it’s possible to live for the rest of one’s life in the harsh climate of the Bieszczady Mountains and the floodplains of Żuławy. This literary journey will not only serve as inspiration for the upcoming summer vacation but also as an opportunity to look at the map of Poland from a new perspective.
PROGRAM
Tomasz Słomczyński: Delta. Through the Żuławy Region | April 29, 7:00 p.m.
NEW DATE: September 23, 2026. Anna Kamińska: Don’t Ask. Stories from the Bieszczady Mountains
Admission is free. Due to the intimate setting and limited seating, please arrive starting at 6:30 p.m.
In the second season of our meetings, we decided to broaden this perspective—to include questions about our place in the world, about what lies on the margins of reality, on the fringes of familiar maps and topics. We also want to focus these discussions on ourselves—our lives, our experience of the world, and how we shape it—in both the mental and physical dimensions.
Our invitation to participate in the fall meetings is an opportunity to take a close look at reality—up close, from within, and from the depths. We will discuss and encourage reflection on the human condition in a world marked by uncertainty, change, and fragility. We will talk about the search for a home and a safe haven—both in a geographical and spiritual sense. We’ll explore how we experience space—through our bodies, senses, and emotions. We’ll delve into what’s difficult to grasp and feel—such as powerlessness, sadness, grief, or loneliness. We’ll ask questions that our modern world all too often pushes to the margins: questions about meaning, community, and the role of sensitivity.
PROGRAM
Ilona Wiśniewska | October 15, 2025, 7:00 p.m. | Life Above the Arctic Circle.
Tomasz Stawiszyński | November 19, 2025, 7:00 p.m. | Helplessness and Fate—What Can We Influence?
Jo Jurga | December 3, 2025, 7:00 p.m. | Responsible Design on Planet Earth.
Due to the intimate setting and limited seating, we invite you to join us starting at 6:30 p.m.
Join us for the spring edition of the “Po drugiej stronie” literary series!
In this new edition of the series, we focus on emotions and phenomena that defy simple definitions—and from which late-capitalist society all too often turns a blind eye—such as powerlessness, helplessness, sadness, and grief. We also reflect on the private lives of well-known figures, which unfold beyond the official narratives and media biographies.
In the intimate setting at Jaśkowa Dolina 4, we’ll meet two exceptional authors who have been documenting reality with empathy and sensitivity for years: Agnieszka Dauksza and Magdalena Grzebałkowska. These will be encounters with literature that not only describes the world but also encourages us to pause, look deeper, and ask ourselves a few important questions.
Please note! The meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.
Due to the intimate setting and limited seating, we invite you to join us starting at 6:30 p.m.
2024 PROGRAM
A series of events inspired by nonfiction books that explore themes of identity, landscape, regionalism, and architecture. Together with the authors, we want to discuss what has shaped our identity—understood on both a micro and macro scale—and how.
We also want to highlight the role of contemporary literature in shaping the debate on the sociocultural changes taking place in Pomerania, as well as throughout Poland, and the role that writers play in this, as well as how to deepen our understanding of the history and changes taking place in our immediate surroundings.
Wrzeszcz—home to the Palma Foundation—as well as Gdańsk, a city with a rich and complex history, is an excellent starting point for discussions about contemporary identity in Poland.
Grzegorz Piątek – The Other Side of Architecture / November 6, 6:00 p.m.
Jarosław Kurski – On the Other Side of Identity / November 13, 6:00 p.m.
Kora Tea Kowalska – The Other Side of Objects / November 20, 6:00 p.m.
Stasia Budzisz – On the Other Side of Kashubia / November 27, 6:00 p.m.
Filip Springer – On the Other Side of Polish Landscapes / December 11, 6:00 p.m.
Zbigniew Rokita – On the Other Side of the Vistula / December 20, 6:00 p.m.
Listen to the conversations in the form of PODCASTS
Organizer: Palma
Foundation Media partners: Trojmiasto.pl, Radio Gdańsk
Co-funded by the City of Gdańsk
