What’s hidden in the space of flows, described by the festival curator as the space of our lives?
Iris Sikking’s Main Programme of Krakow Photomonth Festival (25 May – 24 June) takes the format of a single joint exhibition of over twenty projects, presented at ten galleries and museums. Held under the banner Space of Flows. Framing an Unseen Reality, the exhibition focuses on the concept of “space of flows” formulated by Manuel Castells in his 1996 book The Rise of the Network Society. Participating artists touch on some of the most pressing problems of the contemporary world: the growing problem of immigration in Europe, the dangers of data leaks online, and the continuing destruction of the natural environment. Works by Agata Grzybowska, Agnieszka Rayss, Anaïs López, Antoinette de Jong & Robert Knoth, Armand Quetsch, Axel Braun, Clément Lambelet, Daniela Friebel, Edmund Clark, Eline Benjaminsen, Esther Hovers, Eva Leitolf, Jules Spinatsch, Katja Stuke & Oliver Sieber, Łukasz Skąpski, Mark Curran, Michał Łuczak, Rune Peitersen, Salvatore Vitale, Sander Breure & Witte van Hulzen, Susan Schuppli and Tudor Bratu translate our abstract fears of the unknown or misunderstood into a language of specific images. The curator hopes this shift will help us overcome our prejudices and stereotypes.
The ShowOFF section features projects by eight debuting authors: Valeria Cherchi, Antonina Guga, Laura Ociepa, Rafa Raigón, Ksenia Sidorova, Jakub Stępień, Anna Tiessen and Marta Wódz. Selected through a competition, the artists worked under the watchful eye of acclaimed curators Filip Ćwik, Karol Hordziej, Jenny Nordquist and Karolina Puchała-Rojek.
An important element of Photomonth is its accompanying events; in June there are meetings with authors and curators, lectures, discussions, book launches, guided photographic walks and exhibition tours (including those for families with kids) and workshops for amateur photographers of all ages.
During the symposium Why Exhibit? (1 June), the curator is joined by artists for a discussion on some of the most important themes of this year’s festival, including how photography and its role has changed in the era of social media and the influence of photos and videos published online on the significance of photography exhibitions at museums and galleries. Can artists help us notice that which is truly important? (Dorota Dziunikowska, "Karnet" monthly)
