About author
Mariusz Forecki (1962) lives and works in Poznan. He is a graduate of the Institute of Creative Photography at the Silesian University in Opava (the Czech Republic). He is fond of social photography and makes documents of changes occurring in Poland in 1989-2009. He accomplished a large number of photographic projects e.g. “New religions in Poland – Krishna believers”, “New, wonderful world”, “Colours of power”, “Beyond paradise”, “Crumbs of the day”, “BlueBox”. He often photographed in the areas previously belonging to the USSR (the then name of Russia): Armenia, Belarus, Chechnya, Dagestan, Lithuania, Ukraine. He is a laureate of the Medal of Young Art for pictures concerning social matters. For his photos he often received awards in different contests among others several times was he a prize-winner of Polish Press Photography Contest and in the contest by the Newsweek Magazine for the best newspaper report. He photographs for top Polish magazines. ZPAF (Assossation of Polish Art Photographers) rewarded him for his work in 2004. He also works for the TAMTAM Photographic Agency - www.tamtamagency.com.pl and is a co-publisher (together with Grzegorz Dembinski and Andrzej Marczuk) of the online magazine called www.5klatek.pl (meaning 5exposures).More information about author: www.forecki.pl
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More informations about album:
Gazeta Wyborcza, Świat Obrazu, Tygodnik Fotograficzny, Fotopolis
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It seems obvious that one should like their country at least to some degree. Even when that is the case, the following questions come to mind: why? what for? despite what?
The Poland in my photographs is not a land of fortune and happiness; nor is it a land of apathy and hopelessness. Although full of weaknesses and imperfections, the Poland I depict is bursting with passion, warmth and a peculiar sense of humor. I like her imperfections and downsides. It is them precisely that make the country so dear to me. I like her the way she is and I would like others to grow fond of that Poland at first sight.
I have been taking the photographs in the album since mid 1980’s. They are a record of the reality surrounding my life. The constant changes of this reality, which I used to photograph at the beginning for magazines, have gradually become my theme of choice. The events and situations in the photographs are often very personal, so great politics or spectacular events are not to be found there. From a global point of view they seem of little importance. Yet, for the people in these photographs, it is them that depict their daily lives to the fullest. When put together, the photographs illustrate the changes we have witnessed, or only I have, since the year 1989 ... .
The book consists of two parts. The first, prefaced by Marek Krajewski, depicts Poland just before the groundbreaking June 4, 1989, when the first post-war semi-free elections to the Sejm and the truly free elections to the reinstated Senate were held. The second part is a selection of photographs taken between 1989 and 2009 depicting the constant changes taking place in the country. The pictures included there come from various projects of mine – from the REMINDERS OF THE DAY, which I collected for many years; from the (originally in color) BLUE BOX, a project collected just after Poland’s accession to the EU showing the transfer of Western standards of behavior; and from the ACROSS THE BRIDGE, a project illustrating the differences in the mentality of the people from the Polish-German borderland. At some point I came to the conclusion that these photographs put together build a consistent picture of my Poland, and to such Poland exactly you are cordially invited, with the help of Prof. Michał Bukowski and Marek Krajewski – the authors of two lavish texts.
Welcome to Poland !
Mariusz Forecki
It seems obvious that one should like their country at least to some degree. Even when that is the case, the following questions come to mind: why? what for? despite what?
The Poland in my photographs is not a land of fortune and happiness; nor is it a land of apathy and hopelessness. Although full of weaknesses and imperfections, the Poland I depict is bursting with passion, warmth and a peculiar sense of humor. I like her imperfections and downsides. It is them precisely that make the country so dear to me. I like her the way she is and I would like others to grow fond of that Poland at first sight.
I have been taking the photographs in the album since mid 1980’s. They are a record of the reality surrounding my life. The constant changes of this reality, which I used to photograph at the beginning for magazines, have gradually become my theme of choice. The events and situations in the photographs are often very personal, so great politics or spectacular events are not to be found there. From a global point of view they seem of little importance. Yet, for the people in these photographs, it is them that depict their daily lives to the fullest. When put together, the photographs illustrate the changes we have witnessed, or only I have, since the year 1989 ... .
The book consists of two parts. The first, prefaced by Marek Krajewski, depicts Poland just before the groundbreaking June 4, 1989, when the first post-war semi-free elections to the Sejm and the truly free elections to the reinstated Senate were held. The second part is a selection of photographs taken between 1989 and 2009 depicting the constant changes taking place in the country. The pictures included there come from various projects of mine – from the REMINDERS OF THE DAY, which I collected for many years; from the (originally in color) BLUE BOX, a project collected just after Poland’s accession to the EU showing the transfer of Western standards of behavior; and from the ACROSS THE BRIDGE, a project illustrating the differences in the mentality of the people from the Polish-German borderland. At some point I came to the conclusion that these photographs put together build a consistent picture of my Poland, and to such Poland exactly you are cordially invited, with the help of Prof. Michał Bukowski and Marek Krajewski – the authors of two lavish texts.
Welcome to Poland !
Mariusz Forecki
