©Andrzej Kramarz, Unseasonal Changes
©Zygmunt Rytka, Fiat 125p
(Photo from Wojciech Jedrzejewski collection)
©Magda Krajewska, Penthouse
©Zofia Rydet, Sociological Record
©Weronika Lodzinska-Duda, Pokoje Panienskie / Maiden Rooms
©jr-art.net JR, Face 2 Face, Holy Tryptich - 2006 / © jr-art.net
©Barbara Klemm, 1968 - Images of Revolt
©Thomas Dworzak, Taliban
(courtesy of the artist and Magnum Agency)
©Lauren Greenfield/VII
Alli, Annie, Hannah and Berit, all 13, before the first big party of the seventh grade, Edina, Minnesota, Girl Culture
Photomonth in Krakow è uno dei più prestigiosi e ricchi festival di fotografia della Polonia e, a livello europeo, è tra quelli che ha conosciuto il maggior sviluppo nel corso degli ultimi anni. Quella di quest’anno è la sesta edizione e sono coinvolte le migliori gallerie di Cracovia e sono stati utilizzati numerosi spazi industriali e luoghi solitamente “non convenzionali” alle esposizioni come café o appartamenti privati. Il programma del festival prevede molti eventi collaterali alle mostre quali incontri, proiezioni di film, workshop…
Il leitmotif della parte tematica del nostro programma è dedicata al tema On Being Young (sull’essere giovani). Quello che gli organizzatori intendono presentare è un set di progetti individuali, legati ad attività già in corso e in sintonia con questo concetto. Già dai passati decenni, la vita attiva e creativa delle singole persone è stata sempre più frequentemente situata in questo breve momento dell’esistenza. Contemporaneamente, anche il concetto di “gioventù” sta cambiando, e l’influenza della tecnologia e della medicina, che estendono le possibilità di vita lungo un arco sempre più lungo, gettano una nuova luce sull’idea che ne abbiamo. Per la prima volta, stiamo invitando a sottometterci nuovi progetti: i più interessanti saranno presentati nella sezione tematica del programma complessivo tracciato dal Programme Council.
The leitmotif of the thematic part of the programme is On Being Young. What organisers intend to present is a set of individual projects relating in particular to current activities associated with this concept. Over past decades, the individual's active and creative life is ever more frequently crammed into this relatively short period. Simultaneously, the very concept of youth is changing, and the influence of technology and medicine, aiming to extend life to the maximum, places youth in a new light. For the first time, we are inviting projects to be submitted - the most interesting will be added to the thematic section of the main programme.
The second block of exhibitions is created from presentations originating in one country, the Festival’s special guest. In 2008, this will be… Poland. The organisers’ ambition is to undertake an attempt to evaluate the position of contemporary Polish photography on the international arena and to bring the knowledge of lesser known, but frequently outstanding artists from our country to both domestic and international public. The Poland Programme covers several collective exhibitions, including historical, individual presentations from a variety of periods, and also a review of the achievements of Poland’s youngest generation of photographers.
Among the most important features of the festival programme are the presentations organised in public spaces. From its very beginnings, the Festival has been closely associated with the “urban tissue”, and visiting the exhibitions provides a unique opportunity to become better acquainted with Kraków. Festival events are taking place in almost all of Kraków’s galleries, but also in places such as cafés, pubs, industrial spaces and even normal private apartments. 2008’s planned campaigns and exhibitions “in the city” are on the one hand the result of the desire to get closer to the viewer, and on the other to use the city walls and streets as exhibition space.
The list of exhibitions is completed by over a dozen presentations under the auspices of the Off festival. Traditionally, this section is aimed at young, and also beginning, artists. The exhibitions take place in perfectly prepared exhibition areas in Kraków’s pubs and cafés, as well as selected galleries. One innovation, however, is the creation of a Programme Council for the Off festival - its task will be to select from the submissions sent from the organisers.
Among the numerous associated events - slide shows, screenings of documentary films, lectures, workshops, meetings with artists and book promotions - it is worth mentioning the portfolio review. This is a unique occasion to present your achievements to the opinion of the world’s greatest authorities: photographers, published, critics and curators, as well as a chance for international publicity.
On Being Young
What organisers intend to present is a set of individual projects relating in particular to current activities associated with this concept. Over past decades, tthe individual's active and creative life is ever more frequently crammed into this relatively short period. Simultaneously, the very concept of youth is changing, and the influence of technology and medicine, aiming to extend life to the maximum, places youth in a new light. The main thematic programme is the effect of the yearlong work of the festival's Programme Council, including: Michael Famighetti, Karol Hordziej, Andrzej Kramarz, Piotr Lelek, Wojtek Nowicki, Mark Power and ?ukasz Trzci?ski. This part of the programme comprises 18 individual exhibitions:
Arrested - curator Andrej Kramarz
Barbara Klemm - 1696 Images of Revolt
Keren Brett - The Myth of Sexual Loss
Michael Jang - Garageband
Maggie Cardlùs - Zoo, age 10 + Birthday Flowers
Marta i Macha? Zasepa - Witek J.’s Youth
Agata Biskup - Panelling
Mark Raidpere- Andrey/Andris
Glen E. Friedman - Fuck you all
Mohamed Bourouissa - Périphéries
Lauren Greenfield - Girls and the American Body Project
Miko?aj D?ugisz - Real Foto
Thomas Dworzak - Taliban
Fernando Moleres - Children at Work
JR - Site Specific Project for Photomonth in Krakow
Vasselina Nikolaeva - School Nr.7
Eiko Sabela and Edmund Piper - Money makes the world go round, the world go round, the world go round…
J.H. Engström - Photocopies
Speciale Guest - Poland
Traditionally, the second part of the main programme comprises a presentation of the output of one selected country, its historical legacy, noteworthy trends and current directions of development. This year, the organisers decided upon an unusual solution - the festival’s Special Guest is Poland.
The ambition of the Polish programme of this year’s Photomonth is to direct attention to the need for a historical reappraisal of the legacy of Polish photography, to trigger discussion on its place in the discourse of contemporary art and finally to promote it. This is why the festival presentation comprises 6 exhibitions prepared by invited curators:
Dreamers and witness. Polish Photography of the 20th Century curator: Wojciech Prazmowski
Muzeum Ksit Czartoryskich Arsena, ul. w. Jana 19 open 12. 05 - 20. 07
Polish Venues 2008 curator: Adam Mazur
d. Kuchnia Brata Alberta, ul. Estery 12 open: 6-31.05
Zofai Rydet - Sociological record 1978 - 1990 curators: Andrzej Rózycki, Piotr Lelek
Galeria Starmach, ul. Wgierska 5 openÊ 6. 05 - 13. 06
Stefana Gurdowa - Negatives are to be stored curators: Agnieszka Sabor, Andrzej Kramarz
Synagoga Kupa, ul. Warschauera 8 (entrance from Miodowa street) openÊ 8 - 31.05
Update. Review of new Polish photography
d. Kino Swiatowid, os. Centrum E-1; al. Jana Pawa II openÊ 9 - 31. 05
Presentation: The Photographer’s Collective< Visavis.pl
Pl. Jana Nowaka-Jezioranskiego (d. Plac Dworcowy) open: 7-31.05
Off Festival
As every year, the
Off festival - the experimental part of Photomonth in Kraków, unrelated to the curatorial programme and serving to promote young talent - will be presenting the most interesting works by young photographers. Among them are a film by Monika Brodka.
For the sixth time, May will be Kraków’s photographic celebration. Photomonth - a festival which continues to enjoy strong popularity and prestige - is coming to the cafes, pubs, and private apartments, as well as to a variety of urban spaces. From 2006, the OFF Program has been an integral part of the festival - its less formal, more alternative event, open to experimental photographic solutions. With the coming of 2008, OFF’s presence has altered - it has become an autonomous, separately organised form of exposition with its own catalogue and promotional materials, and the works included have been selected by a separate Programme Council.
The OFF Programme is first and foremost a chance for young artists, using the latest technologies in the search for unorthodox means of expression and hoping to enter the fold of artist-maestros. The photographic artists from OFF have come up with innovative solutions both in classical forms of photography (the works of Marek Szczepa?ski and Maciej Pisuk), as well as activities which are off the beaten path of traditional visual messages (Aleksander Prugar's slide show, Ania Jochymek's installation). One further point of interest is the new artistic face (almost literally) of Monika Brodka.
OFF is the focus of attention on the talk of the surroundings, hence the use of unusual unclassifiable places (the café of the Self-Service Laundry, Kazimierz’s “Okr?glak”) as exhibition spaces. These places are not selected by accident, they work in complementary fashion with the exhibitions, but more frequently they are a provocation, thus opening the way for a creative polemic.
This is just a small fragment of the complex and rich formula of the OFF programme. Only the viewers themselves will be able to find out how intriguing and fascinating the meetings are.
Below are the
exhibitions presented under the OFF Programme banner this year:
Maciej Pisuk -
Prague. My Neighbours
Urszula Klimek -
Youth in the Countryside
Zbyszek Carewicz -
Gracze / Gamblers
Vittorio Mortarotti -
Focus_Nord Kapp
Anna Jochymek -
Kalejdoskop taneczny / The Dancing Kaleidoscope
Marek Szczepanski -
Psy / Dogs
Helena van Duijne -
Year of the Pig
Marcin Bocinski -
Outdoor
Jakub Nowotynski -
Autyzm / Autism
Lukasz Zimnoch -
Travellers
Carolyn Lefley -
Belonging
Tomasz Liboska -
Targowisko / A Marketplace
Tomek Zerek -
Plac zabaw / Playground
Raffaella Gentile -
Together
Przemek Krzakiewicz -
EL EMO - Modny projekt / Stylish Project
Magdalena Kmiecik -
DaynightlightÊ
Monika Brodka -
Przemiany / Transformations
Stefano Graziani -
Taxonomies
Luca Casonato -
Beautiful cities
Aleksander Prugar -
Song of the Slag Heap, Two Worlds, Holy Concrete, Stroll through SilesiaÊ
Karolina Gil -
The Bobry Debica Sports Club
Agnieszka Piesiewicz -
Zapiski dnia niecodziennego / Records of an Unusual Day
Natalia Jaskuta -
Foto Natalia J. / Photo Natalia J.
For more information
www.photomonth.com
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