Beginning Saturday, September 8th 2012, Blue, an exhibition of photographs by Tomek Niewiadomski opens to the public at DAP Gallery. (Warsaw, Poland). The exhibition will feature a series of photographs taken between 2003 and 2012.
Magda Kownacka writes of Niewiadomski’s photographs: “In Tomek’s photographs, silence reigns. Even when the ocean thunders, you cannot hear the roar of the waves or the agonising whistle of the wind. The only sound we can hear is that of blood pulsating through the veins of people in the state of heightened concentration that is required for interaction with the elements. In the end, it is not the element of water that is the hero of the stories encapsulated within these photographs but rather the person confronting it. …”.
The prints featured at this first showing of BLUE were made by the artist specifically for this exhibition, using platinum/palladium techniques on archival paper (both in black-and-white and in colour). This technique is used to make unique prints that are of exceptional quality and durability, with a subtle tonal range.
“Passion, discovering mysterious new places, meeting people in their natural environment, and, finally, being close to nature, unspoiled by the influence of civilization, this is the essence of surfing. In pursuit of dream waves, we happen upon magical places that ensure that, after returning home, we can’t wait for our next trip.
“And this is exactly where the strength of Tomek’s photographs lies, in fully capturing those magical moments from life on the ocean. …”, say the Friends of the Surfrider Foundation, writing about Niewiadomski’s photographs.
“The photographer behind BLUE does some very interesting things, unusual even, in a series of images that are continuously unfurling themselves before us. He shows us life. For me, these photographs are his metaphor. I ‘receive’ them, as if the signals that they give off were reaching me under the skin. There is within them, in equal parts, overwhelming peace and harmony of the elements, as well as dynamic strength, enormous power, and potential for destruction. I see in BLUE a spectrum from peaks of emotional waves, pulsating with energy, and happy, crowded beaches of pleasant memories, right up to the desert of frozen bays, restrained by ice: grim, tension-filled moments of righteous indignation or pain. There is here a sad loneliness of rejection but also a conscious turning onto one’s side, a mystical gaze deep inside oneself. …One wishes to be immersed in this world. … “, writes Karolina Harazim.
Tomek Niewiadomski’s exhibition BLUE will run until September 17th 2012 at the DAP Gallery in Warsaw. A number of special events will accompany the exhibition. An album from the exhibition, currently being prepared by well-known designer and graphic artist Michał Łojewski is planned for publication in 2013.
Born in 1974, Tomek Niewiadomski gained his photographic knowledge and experience in Australia, Poland, and the United States, studying under photographers such as David Michael Kennedy and Paul Aresu. Niewiadomski is a graduate of the School of Fine Arts-Photography in Sydney. He has taken part in both individual and group exhibitions, including “Nihon” (individual exhibition, 2008, Gallery 65 in Warsaw, Gallery Pauza in Krakow), “W.W.D.M.K.T.S.J.P.A.W.T.N” (group exhibition of the photographers from Gallery 65, 2007, at Królikarnia), “China the Middle Kingdom” (individual exhibition, 2006, University Library in Warsaw), “One Passion, Two Visions” (with David Michael Kennedy, 2005, Fabryka Trzciny in Warsaw).
Niewiadomski often uses platinum/palladium print-making techniques in his work, which is a very labour-intensive and complex process. The highest-quality archival paper is brushed with a light-sensitive substance made of a base metal like palladium or platinum. The effect is just as spectacular as it is unexpected. This is, in its own way, a “finicky” technique, demanding a great deal of concentration and diligence.
More information about Tomek Niewiadomski’s work can be found at: www.tomekniewiadomski.com
Tomek Niewiadomski BLUE
DAP Gallery
ul. Mazowiecka 11a
Warsaw – Poland
