The Flow Quartet is the name of the four projects directed by Chris Baldwin for Wroclaw, European Capital of Culture, 2016.  They  told the story of Wroclaw to itself, to Poland, to Europe and beyond. The Flow Quartet consisted of four interlinked projects:

 

Mosty (Bridges)  June 2015

Przebudzenie (Spirits of Wroclaw)  January 2016

Flow I and II  June 2016

and

Niebo (Sky) December 2016

 

Each project had a performance designed for nationwide and European audiences.

As in all quartets this was a work for four instruments or voices:

 

* PEOPLE: the voices of artist citizens associated with the stories of Wroclaw/Breslau

and the diasporas of the city now living around the world – predominantly in

Germany, Israel, Ukraine and Czech Republic.

 

* SPACE: the public and open spaces, bridges, river, roads and parks of Wroclaw.

 

* SOUND and DESIGN: New music and design were developed as the result of both intercultural collaborations and a celebration of the palimpsest nature of this city. We  commissioned music and designs from Polish lighting magicians and floating object builders to French Spirit makers, bringing the city as manuscript into dramaturgical relief.

 

* DRAMATURGY: By combining people, space and sound/design the Flow Quartet presented a story which did not reduce the complexity of this city but rather acknowledges the contradictions, the historic trauma and it's incredible achievements. The projects also explored the city's hopes for the future.