Photography has influenced our view of reality for more than a hundred years. It was the eye of the new order that arose after WWI. The popularisation of amateur cameras, along with their increased availability, has only grown, and now the photographed image accompanies almost every event, from small intimate moments to entire social movements.
Walter Benjamin understood the ability to decipher photographs as an essential cultural skill, which allows us to gain a better understanding of the present. Encouraging reflection was one of the aims of this series.
The photographs are divided into thematic groups: History, Memory, Man, Emancipation, Identity, Landscapes, Warsaw, Away from the Centre, Symbols and Transformations.
The articles illustrate both the state of modern Polish photography and the reality it co-creates. The series contains photographs by household names but also by lesser-known photographers. There are iconic pieces which can be found in galleries around the world, as well as photos published in the press, books or only on the Internet. Each and every one of them can be a starting point for contemplation on the past.
Written by MD, translated by MW, edited by NR, Nov 2018; updated Nov 2020.