Phuljica ^ Snowflake
Storytelling Project
image: Tatjana Christelbauer "Snowflake" smArtphoto 2015
Pahuljica ^Flöckchen
Storytelling Project
A story by Tatjana Christelbauer
based on a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson: “The Swan”
“Pahuljica” is a poetic narrative set on the Old Danube in Vienna, in which solitude, freedom and community are interwoven.
The headstrong young swan Pahuljica follows her love of dance and chooses to be alone – until she finds herself in danger, trapped in the ice.
Help comes from unexpected allies: ravens and swans, whose shared crying and solidarity make liberation possible.
The story explores the difference between being alone as a conscious choice and loneliness as a painful experience, and shows
how art and community can become a bridge of encounter, help and friendship.
The cover of the story “Pahuljica”, printed in Braille and published by the State Institute for the Blind in Vienna (BBI Vienna), to which the author has transferred the exclusive rights for printing and distribution of the German version, was designed by Xenia Zeiler, a blind student of the BBI Vienna, under the mentorship of Tatjana Christelbauer.
The original version of the story is illustrated with black and white photographs by Tatjana Christelbauer, in which white and black plumage form the central visual motifs.
Project description, objectives, invitation to participate
As President and Founder of ACD – Agency for Cultural Diplomacy, a Vienna-based international organization celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, I would like to present my story “Pahuljica” as a personal gift and warmly invite you all to participate in this project.
The story was written by me in 2015 and presented in Austrian kindergartens and schools as part of my professional work as an employee of the Lower Austrian state government.
In 2025, “Pahuljica” was created as part of the Insight meetings of the dots4futures conference in Vienna, organized by ACD, presented again at the Vienna Institute for the Blind (BBI).
My former student Xenia Zeiler, who is now an ACD ambassador for the dots4futures platform, recorded the story in German. This recording is available on SoundCloud.
Xenia also played the "Pahuljica" melody I created for this narration on her handpan.
The goal of the project
The aim of the storytelling project is to make this narrative available as a resource for art-based intercultural, inclusive education with an ecological approach, and cultural exchange, thereby contributing to our common goals:
Improving access to education for all people through art and creative forms of expression – especially for blind and visually impaired people.
The audio recordings provided barrier-free access for people who can hear but cannot see or read.
The Braille print version in various languages enables tactile reading.
Furthermore, publishing the story in different languages can build cultural and linguistic bridges and inspire further initiatives in the field of arts-based education and cultural diplomacy.
Invitation to participate
Currently, the narrative has been translated into more than 10 languages by blind people, artists, representatives in the diplomatic service, researchers, teachers, across sectors and generations, and the reading recordings have been made.
The presentations of individual contributions in the collaboration and co-organization of national/local representatives will take place from June 2026 onwards.
The entire collection of translations and audio recordings will be presented on a freely accessible platform, such as YouTube, SoundCloud or similar, as part of the annual celebration of the European Day of Languages within the framework of the hybrid conference.
The collection can then be used worldwide as a free educational resource and further developed for other creative projects.
Currently, in addition to the original version in German, translations into several languages are available, including Bosnian, Bulgarian, English, Croatian, Polish, Serbian, Slovak, as well as Arabic and Urdu; further translations and readings are in preparation in cooperation with Austrian cultural forums abroad and other partners.
The Prints in German, Braille prints, and presentations in 2025/26 were provided by ArtsCD Café FlexCo for the art education format "Storytelling Brunch".m Operation of the Art-Café in Hundertwasserhouse Vienna, which has been run by me and my husband since December 2024, financed.
Since 2019, I have occasionally worked abroad as an artist and cultural mediator in cooperation with Austrian libraries and cultural forums.
On my Webpage Some insights into these projects are included.
Since my earliest childhood, I learned with my blind piano teacher Bahrija Krupic to see otherwise, to enact imagination, to feel and touch, to smell and to hear by heart ...
Art knows no boundaries and no barriers.
Let's melt the ice together.
Activities in Art café in the Hundertwasser House, Vienna as co-owner:
