Seeing Africa through Kapuściński's eses

Among all the places visited by Kapuściński during his extensive career as an international correspondent, Africa holds special significance. Kapuœciński was impressed by the continent's otherness and, simultaneously, the universality of its human closeness. "There, he learned about people, how to get to know them and relate to them without anger. It was there that he understood what joy is - what crying, hate and anger are," said Izabela Wojciechowska, the show's curator.

This fascination permeates the latest exhibition at the Royal Castle in Warsaw entitled "People I've met. Photographs from Africa." About 130 images, selected from a huge collection numbering a few thousand taken all over the word - Africa, South America, India, Russia and Kapuściński's home town of Pińsk - are shown in the exhibition. The photographs are to be considered as a way to supplement our understanding of his world-view - and not as illustrations for his stories. Through his photographs, Kapuściński showed in pictures what he found impossible to say with words.

The common theme of the show is people - people working, resting, people at home or in the street, in public and in private. The dignity of the subject is always upheld to the highest standard, no matter who he or she was. "Ryszard met with people, and sometimes with evil. Sometimes he took photos of famous, notable people and whittled them down to their essence. He looked into people's eyes - in them, he saw joy or death or terror - the humanity of the individual," says Wojciechowska.

The photographs in the exhibition have no captions, in accordance with the author's philosophy of avoiding excess commentary.