Sokolnicki Fort Adam Mickiewicz 22 in Warsaw / August 12-26, 2024
Ordinary extraordinary. Such are the heroes of photographer Maria Eriksson's project "Witnesses_44". Each of them was a resident of Warsaw. They were driven by the struggle for their own identity, for the place that is their home and the struggle for a future for their loved ones. What is important here is their relationship to Warsaw and, looking more broadly, to Poland. Today, being so close to the conflict that is happening just beyond our borders, we very often ask ourselves questions: Is our freedom under threat? How attached are we to the place where we live? Would we be able to abandon it, would we choose to fight for it? What is our identity? Is Warsaw my home that I will protect? Would I have gained such courage? Maybe when faced with such a situation, one doesn't think about it, but simply takes action under the influence of emotion. No one knows how we would behave if someone murdered our family. But also, a modern citizen and migrant is something completely different from 80 years ago. Today it is also common to say that we are citizens of the world, or that Europe is our home, not simply Poland. The sense of belonging is different. The Warsaw insurgents were ordinary residents of Warsaw at the outbreak of World War II. The exhibition takes a closer look at the silhouettes of the insurgents as they recall that moment, the image of Warsaw, or situations that became engrained in their memories. Memories are most often remembered emotions. Maria Eriksson photographs them as they talk, trying to capture the moment between their pose in front of the camera and their reaction to the memories. She performs this procedure precisely to show them as (in)ordinary Warsaw residents. The hallmark of Eriksson's project is positive overtones. Her characters are captured in such a way that the viewer can be fooled into thinking that this is a conversation about a nice walk and not the fight for independence. Memories are one of the main themes of the project. Maria Eriksson also has such memories listening to her grandmother as a child, making them always seem like an incredible yet cruel tale that is hard to imagine today. Warsaw in the exhibition appears as a second, unseen protagonist.
The exhibition "Witnesses_44" brings the profiles of Warsaw insurgents closer through black and white photographs. The author of the photographs is Maria Eriksson. She photographs her characters while they are in conversation, trying to capture the moment between their pose in front of the camera and their reaction to memories, which is one of the main themes of the project. The aim is to show them as (in)ordinary Warsaw residents captured as if they were talking about everyday life rather than the difficult struggle for independence. These both unusual and cruel
The stories become a bridge between the past and the present touching on armed conflict. Maria Eriksson tries to discover what drove the protagonists of the project to fight - the desire to save their own identity, the place that is home or the future prospects of their loved ones? It turns out that today, when we wonder if our freedom is at risk, these questions are still relevant and show that we are so often guided by feelings and emotions in our decision-making. What is important about the exhibition is that despite the difficult experiences, the heroes shown did not leave Warsaw, becoming an inseparable part of it - creating it, witnessing its constant changes. It does not only show the impact of the war on Warsaw residents and their fate. It also shows people's attitudes, their commitment, dedication, attachment and love for the city that
had a direct impact on its design.
Honorary patronage: Museum of Warsaw Uprising
Organizers: Żoliborski Dom Kultury, Żoliborz District, Dom
Powstańców Warszawskich, CAM Nowolipie, Monopol Association
Warsaw
Sokolnicki Fort
Adama Mickiewicza 22 in Warsaw
August 12-26, 2024
CONTACT:
Maria Eriksson
maria@mariaerikssonstudio.com
793 121 331
Karolina Radziejowska
karolina.radziejowska@