Documenting reality

The Museum of History of Photography in Kraków is organizing its fifth Kraków Decade of Photography event, presenting a series of exhibits, discussions and lectures dedicated to various aspects of the art of photography. This year's theme, "Reality and Document," approaches the subject of photography as documentary.

"Documentary is an important part of photography. The problem of defining reality and the relationship between art and reality are issues that are broadly discussed in the field," explains Monika Kozień-Świca, the project curator.

From April 18 to May 13, around 20 exhibits accompanied by lectures and various other meetings will take place. One aspect of the event includes more traditional exhibitions of photography,  including a display of photos by Jacques Henri Lartigue, one of the most important photographers from the late 19th / early 20th century period. Modern art will be represent by Harun Farocki, a German photographer whose works depict the connections between war, politics, economy and society. Polish artists will be represented by Hubert Czerepok.

One aspect of the Decade of Photography is far from tradition. At the opening-day exhibition, photos will be hidden from view in boxes and albums, as is often the case in people's homes. Visitors will not be able to see pictures without making a tactile connection with them as well. Another display, entitled "36 Photos that Saved the World," aims to show the innumerable ways in which photos can be interpreted. The photos will be accompanied by a text describing how the exhibit's creator, Małgorzata Kanikuła, discovered them and the exhibition's catalogue itself will be in the form of a puzzle.

 "Our aim is not to just show the visual documentary. We chose the exhibits to discuss photo documentary and each exhibit makes reference to the various aspects of this topic with a different voice," says Kozień-Świca.

For more details log on www.mhf.krakow.pl