Non-grey katowice / Nie szare Katowice
Although they are associated with coal to this day, they have long been following the path of the resilient and modern capital of the region. Therefore, when I decided to create photographs of my hometown, I did not want a series to be created that would constitute a full and comprehensive answer to the question of what Katowice is like.
For me, there would be no urban space without the people who live in it, so you can see them in every photograph. Although they are difficult to recognize, they are in motion, they are the subject of every photograph. They were captured in places important to them and important to my city. Hence, we meet them among the characteristic architecture, among green or recreational areas, and selected fragments of the city tissue. Each photo is my subjective and non-documentary look, taken with the use of time compression.
The project „Non-gray Katowice” is inspired by Bogdan Konopka’s series „The Grey Paris” (Paris en gris). It is related to city photography, small format and monochrome form, partly analog technique and contact technique of exposing the final image from large-format negatives. Different – a slightly other format, tonality and shade of the image, resulting from a different historical photographic process, as well as a hybrid technique of preparing prints. But most of all, the non-documentary approach to photography and the way of presenting the subject. The resulting images, physical prints in the 12×18 cm format, were made using the unique Platinotype technique on photosensitive paper prepared by me.
The project was awarded in the „Lokata w Kultura” competition organized by Katowice The City of Gardens.