In Slavic folklore, the rusalka (plural: rusalky/rusalki) is an unquiet, dangerous being who is no longer alive, associated with the unclean spirit. Usually a young woman, who either committed suicide by drowning due to an unhappy marriage or who were violently drowned against their will, and must live out their designated time on Earth as rusałki.
Her main purpose is, to lure young men, seduced by either her looks or her voice, into the depths of waterways where she would submerge them, and wait until they drown.
Sound design and mixing: Anas Qadamani
Voice: Zuzanna Klimkiewicz, Dominika Klepaczko
Actresses: Agata Sidorkiewicz, Aleksandra Budzisz
Credits: Poem "Rusałki" by Bronisława Ostrowska
Special thanks: mama i tata
An immersive installation called “Rusalki”, is a piece heavily based on and inspired by Slavic mythology. This project is a modern take on the traditional, folklore tales with rusałki (slavic mermaids) as the main protagonists.
In my interpretation those “evil” creatures, who were believed to cause only pain and sorrow to local communities, for the first time get the opportunity to re-tell the stories from their perspective and justify their (cruel?) behaviour. Through the immersive sound design and captivating visuals viewers are lured into the realm of slavic water spirits where they get to experience the mystical atmosphere firsthand and understand, or maybe even sympathize, with infamous creatures.
