December

photo: abeku

invited guest: Magdalena Wajda-Kacmajor

I was born 40 years ago, on the Polish seaside. I spent half of my life there and still long for the smells and sounds of the coast, which sometimes shows in my photos. For several years I’ve lived in Warsaw and frequently visited other large European cities, which made me fascinated with the urban life and urban “snapshots”.
I work as translator, spending many hours at the computer. Photography for me is an escape from the world of words. It is a way to show emotions and impressions without the need to speak or write. I taught myself everything I know in this area, in part from photography guides, in part from various books on photographers, and most importantly, from photos of others.

The series “Library” was shot entirely in the Staatsbibliothek Berlin, right in the center of the city. During the Cold War times, this building stood in West Berlin, very close to the Berlin Wall. It was chosen as the meeting place for angels which inhabited both parts of the torn city, watching over its residents as it was wonderfully shown by Wim Wenders is his movie, “Himmel Über Berlin” (“Wings of Desire”). This series is obviously inspired by this film, one of my all-time favorites.

invited by Marcin Górski