The 2025 Best Photobook Award, presented by the Łódź Fotofestiwal, has been awarded to Polish photographer Anita Andrzejewska for her publication Dancing with Your Dream Awake.
Dancing with Your Dream Awake is a poetic exploration of dreams, a journey spanning 20 years and four continents. The book features over fifty black-and-white photographs marked by high contrast and strong visual intensity. Andrzejewska draws inspiration from Aboriginal traditions, where a dedicated time for dreaming is believed to contribute to the ongoing creation of the world. “During that time, they continually recreate the structure of the world,” she explains.
The book can be interpreted as a meditation on the cycle of life, encompassing a wide range of universal human experiences. Life is celebrated through tender images, such as those of children, while more somber moments, like the image of a cat’s carcass, serve as a memento mori. The grayscale palette becomes a vessel for the full spectrum of human emotion and experience.
“Meeting Others Is What Drives Me to Travel”
“Photography is a medium that allows me to explore reality and connect with others,” says Andrzejewska. A seasoned solo traveler, she prepares extensively before her trips, yet always leaves room for improvisation. This spontaneity helps her remain open to unexpected encounters and moments. “I adapt my approach depending on the country I’m in. Some places are harder to photograph than others.”
Her work spans a wide range of subjects—from marginalized communities to wildlife and distant or nearby locations—driven by a deep interest in the diversity of human experience.
A Passion for Uncompromising Freedom
Born during the era of the People’s Republic of Poland, Andrzejewska grew up in a time marked by limited freedoms, when Poland was still seen as a poor and politically unstable country. Trained as a graphic designer, she discovered photography during her studies, and her background in graphic arts continues to influence her photographic style—particularly her use of black and white and her attention to geometric composition.
With over two decades of experience, Andrzejewska now teaches at an art school and leads photography workshops for both children and adults. Dancing with Your Dream Awake is considered a landmark work in contemporary Polish photography, created by a major figure in the field.
Anita Andrzejewska – Dancing with Your Dream Awake
Exhibition: June 13 – August 3, 2025
Venue: Bałucka Gallery, Stary Rynek 2, Łódź, Poland
Part of the Łódź Fotofestiwal 2025
