photo galleries

Don't come to Warsaw! There is no capitol! You won't see anything! Someone is blocking the view. Advertisement in newspaper, TV and radio is not enough. It's too subtle, too small. Today the best advertising place are building facades. Statement must be strong and legible: Buy, buy, buy more. Total advertisement cramming goes on and on. On the pictures of non existing Warsaw, and interviews with people who are living inside advertisements.

Warsaw
March – June 2008

Silesian mine dumps remain old industrail magnificence of this region. Today – they ale a place where some of the poorest could earn for living. Small pieces of coal found here are to be sold – one can always find a client. Coal mine from mine dumps – is cheaper than that from coal mines. People from dumps create closed community. The keep together living in tragic conditions. They call themselvs “friends”. They try to live according to their rules. To help each other, to keep outside, to survive.

Ruda Slaska
August 2005

Motivation for this photograph series is miners holiday called Barborka in 2005. Miners who took part of it, were photographed right after coming out from the underground, and then later leaving mines' baths- after washing coal dust off. While being at home, they split their time between family, resting ,mountain walking, and even writing books. If you ask them what is most important for them, their answer without any hesitation will be: home, family, serenity and tradition.

Ruda Slaska
„Coal mine Pokoj”
„Coal mine Polska-Wirek”
“Coal mine Bielszowice”
September – October 2005

There is barely no sun light in New York, skyscrapers completely obscure the sun, concrete walls completely shut out the sky. There is however an alternate source of light, it's the skyscrapers glass facades, just like in Żeromski's vision. They reflect sun beams and give BigApple additional illumination. Reflected beams are just like spot lights, they create direct fluxes and illuminate pedestrians faces from odd angles. The impression is like there was a lot of natural sunlight but there is not.

New York, USA
10-25 October 2008

Silesian street, in the air you can feel the scent of burned coal, and on the street them… silesian children. This street belongs to them. They feel safe here, it is where their friends are, and it is where their playgrounds are. Child's imagination is amazing, playing field becomes a huge stadium, clothes - horse is aeroplane, wing made of fireman's hose becomes a balloon. On pictures Lipiny district in Swietochlowice, Bobrek district in Bytom,Kaufhaus district and Nowy Bytom district in Ruda Slaska, and their non existing playgrounds. They only exist in children's imagination.

Silesia
2004-2006

Piekary Slaskie Sacral Art Factory has over 100 years traditions. All saints are being done here in traditional way. They are cement,plaster and marble casts. Manufacture lasts from 6 am till 2 pm five days a week. Figures become religious cult component after blessing. Till then they are only artistic handicraft. you can have your own Jesus for 5,5 thousand zloty's (about 2000$)

Piekary Slaskie
October 2005

You might say that pictures in this gallery show Silesia's backstage,. It's a look from squares, yards. Not many people visit those places.It's a beautiful Silesia. I called this material Silesian Walk, because it was developed during my walks. Without any rush. Sometimes my walk took 2 - 3 hours, sometimes a whole day, without any plan..

Silesia
2004 - 2006

Diehl family emigrated from Germany in 1850. They settled down in a little village Callicon in Sullivan County. Since the beginning of they stay in America they became farmers. They own few hundred hectares of land. The youngest addition to Diehl family is 12 years old Dan. He's huge fan of agricultural machines from Jon Deere factory. He collects miniature tractors, sleeps in John Deere branded bedding, his room walls are covered with Jon Deere equipment wallpaper.Since his younger years he has been helping his family with farming. Like his ancestors he wants to be a farmer. Even now he is able to carry out most of the hard work in the field. Dans neighbours call him Little Buddha. They call him like that because of his serenity,persistence and harmony. Dan is unique child. At age of 12 he found his calling, he knows what his future looks like. He is serene - he has found his place in life.

Callicon, New York State, USA
10-15 Oct. 2008

Olympic, world and European champion. Otylia Jedrzejczak was born in Ruda Slaska in Silesia (population 150 thousand) on December 13th 1983. Since early years she have trained swimming. She won 3 medals at Athens Olympic Games in 2004: two silver, and desired gold. She won gold medal in her favorite two hundred meters butterfly style. Ruda Slaska went mad because of the happiness. Butterfly, her new nickname given by the fans, visited her hometown on august 24th 2004. Helicopter that brought her landed at the sport field. Crowd was shouting 'Oti, Oti, Oti'.This way they wanted to say thank you for medals, for the happiness she gave them and tears of emotions. For people from Ruda Slaska this was the most beautiful thing. Finally they had their champion, for themselves even if it was only a short moment.

Ruda Slaska
29.08.2004

January 28th 2006 International Fair Katowice held international pigeon exhibition. Since the early morning you could see the birds, including polish representation of doves worth tens of thousands polish zlotych. In the afternoon, people started to leave fair building. They were heading homes to see Zakopane ski jump TV transmission. At 5 pm. there were still around 600 people inside. There were no signs of aproachin tragedy. Quoter past five the roof collapsed killing 65, and injuring 170 people. Tragedy main reasons were: many construction faults, and over two thousand tons of snow laying on a hall roof.

Chorzow
28.01 - 02.02 2006

For the first time miners shown up in Warsaw in 1984. Over next 23 years, every day using pick axe they dig 2 meters of underground tunnel. Together they dug 20 kilometres. After work they came back to labour hotels, rarely visiting their families. Some of them lived in capitol for over 10 years. Part of them after working there went for retirement, part came back to home mines, and some of them hope to get job with subway second line. Only this part will be build using modern technology, going faster than 2 meters a day.

Warsaw
February – July 2007