In 1949 in Germany originated a group of photographers concentrated around Otto Steinert - „Fotoform” – that started the trend of „subjective photography”. It was an international formation which in 1950s valued the picture formulas worked out by before-the-war avant-garde movements. Steinert gave his formulas new meanings, stressing the existential dimension of subjective look at reality. The German photographer defined subjective photography as “humanized”, which instead of imitating reality catches its objects in their inner dimension just as creative impulse of an artist interprets them in the lens. The demonstration of such attitude were three exhibitions of photography organized in 1950s in Germany and publication of albums „Subjective photography”. This movement was also noticed in Poland, but it gained general acceptance only in the mid 1960s. Yet in the 50s Polish artists came into contact with German ones and realizations of some Polish photographers might be recognized as belonging to the most original propositions of this formation. Bronisław Schlabs, who corresponded with Steinert in 1950s, shared his thoughts with Jerzy Lewczyński and Zdzisław Beksiński, and as a result these artists worked on a Polish version of subjective photography, the traces of which, so far unknown to the public, are shown in Asymetria Gallery. Jerzy Lewczyński stresses that the Polish version of subjective photography attacked Steinert’s for its decorations and aesthetics. It turned towards the man as the subject in the situation of the inner tension and drama, especially in the most radical version (Beksiński), but there were also calm frames and psychological poetics (Lewczyński, Schlabs).
Asymetria Gallery will present three scenes of his phenomenon: „Jerzy Lewczyński – Subjective Photography I” photographs from years 1956-61 that are the technique workshop of the artist from that time, „Zdzisław Beksiński – Sphere”, photographic and drawing works of the artist not shown before, and „Bronisław Schlabs – Subjective Photography II”.
Rafał Lewandowski
Galeria Asymetria
First gallery of historical photography
www.asymetria.eu
Nowogrodzka 18a ST. local 8 (4th floor), Warszawa
phone +48 (0) 22 628 14 64
gallery curator: Rafał Lewandowski
finissage: Jerzy Lewczyński „Subjective Photography I”: 30.04, 6.00 p.m.
exhibition opening: Zdzisław Beksiński „Sphere": 4.05, 6.30 p.m. / (through 29.05)
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