Early Life and Formation in Wilenszczyzna Barbara Sokołowska’s artistic journey is deeply interwoven with the complex tapestry of Polish history and identity, beginning with her birth in 1961 in Giżycko, Poland. This location held particular significance as a settlement point for Poles repatriated from the Vilnius region – known as Wilenszczyzna – after World War II. Growing up within this community profoundly shaped Sokołowska’s perspective, instilling an early awareness of displacement, memory, and the enduring power of cultural heritage. Her family background, described as intellectual, f…