Georg van der Weyden is a photographer of Swedish origin; his curiosity about other countries and cultures led him to live in a few different countries before coming to Poland. When he first arrived, Poland had not joined the EU yet. He has spent the past couple of years travelling and learning about and understanding Poland. As he did so, he fell in love with Poland's beauty, history and people as well as the country's numerous other intriguing dimensions.
Georg's background as an advertising photographer has shaped the aesthetics of the book. He delights in showing the complexities of the country by comparing and contrasting ideas visually, and portraying strong beliefs with strong images. Much like Poland itself, his work is dynamic, sensitive, humorous and unflinching - all at the same time.
The book is unique in the way that it shows the country in pictures, using defined chapters that are not divided by geography. The photos also allow Poles to see their country through a new lens, from a new perspective and with a new passion.
We invite you now to take a glimpse at Poland through Georg's eyes i.e. ...through foreign eyes.
Here is what Georg says about Poland:
Thank you Poland!
It has to be said from the beginning: Whatever you say about Poland, someone else will claim the opposite. And most likely, both opinions will be right. Having said that, portraying modern Poland is a challenging, delicate, difficult, painstaking, intriguing, funny, emotional, frustrating but utterly rewarding task.
It's also a risky task, one that feels like tiptoeing across a minefield. Presenting and trying to explain Poland is such a sensitive mission because views and opinions of the country are as varied as the people expressing them. There is a saying that roughly goes: "Wherever there are two Poles, there are three opinions."
As an independent project prompted by my desire to show Poland's aesthetic reality, the pictures record true beauty, which for me can equally be found in clean natural landscapes as in the gritty urban areas charged with layers of history. What I capture and show is how I perceived it, and since it really is impossible to cover all angels, these images here present one side, my side of the truth. And it must be kept in mind that this is just an introduction to the country, a little sample...
I first came to Poland before the country's accession into the European Union. A French documentary magazine had agreed to publish an article about modern Poland and asked me to send interesting images that tell a story. I kept sending material, new and more expressive shots, but the editor, overwhelmed with the multifaceted result, failed to come up with an angle for an all-encompassing story. Really, I couldn't blame him. Some countries can be summed up in an article, but the complex and intriguing Poland demands a whole book, a rather thick one, to do it at least some justice.
Not knowing the language or much about the local society and history, I could only be guided by my feelings and my eyes. I drove my 30-year-old BMW across the highways and byways of the country, frequently stopping to fix a tire or exchange an engine part, all the while capturing the varied shapes and unexpected facets of Polishness. People consistently treated me with kindness, hospitality and respect. The more I learned about the country, the more I realised that my pictures often illustrated something truly Polish, something that actually could be explained, even through complex explanations, but somehow it was there, concentrated in the picture. But it wasn't always easy capturing people in their natural habitat. Still remembering the time when the secret police used photographs from demonstrations to identify and suppress people, some would automatically react with ‘Nie, nie, nie!' (no, no, no) when I lifted my camera. Feeling frustrated, I decided to hand out small cards to the naysayers explaining how saying yes next time might actually have positive impact on their lives. That aside, every time I enter this country I'm amazed by the tangible energy generated by hard-working people, dynamic changes and anticipation.
To the Poles in Poland and abroad - I want to introduce a new kind of open and positive patriotism that is based on generosity towards neighbouring countries, with pride without saying we are better than others. Because in the new world there is only one way to success and that is to be friends with the international community. The message in the pictures and texts, and between the lines, works in the direction of s Poland which is open to its neighbours and partners.
Links to reviews:
http://magazyn.culture.pl/en/culture/artykuly/es_weyden_polska_oczami_obcokrajowca_recenzja
http://bulletinen.org/wordpress/artiklar/ett-modernt-polen-med-rotterna-i-det-forflutna/
