The citizens

THE Citizens. The frame and beyond. Once again the belief is confirmed that the most important part of the body, with which we identify ourselves, is the face. Krzysztof Jurecki The following sketch is a component of the PhD discourse on aspects of the identity of the portrayed. The purpose of the implementation of the photographic series called "The Citizens" is to answer the question as to whether a portrait may be of other than individual quality and where the intimate character has its limits. Throughout the whole set the author introduces typical for her work attitude to the relationship between the portrayed and the environment. Throughout the whole set the author introduces typical for her work attitude to the relationship between the portrayed and the environment. Although the face seems to be the main theme here, the perception of the costume seems to come to the fore. The portrayed are dressed in original single collections of young Polish designers Małgorzata Wasik , Natalia Jezierska, Lidia Sajdak, Paweł Pyzik. The clothes they are wearing not only refer the viewer to modern times, but also they go beyond. The intention of the author was to presuppose that the audience would be able to analyse and identify with that gear. According to Maria Anna Potocka’s definition, a portrait is an act of gripping human face. In the art of painting it serves presenting a person to the others or providing that person with continuous presence . The identity of the portrayed in this very series consists of the following elements: clothes and gestures. By the fact of positioning the object against a dark background and the use of a proper light by the photographer, the recipient may get the impression that what they look at is a painting indeed, not a photograph. After all, Roland Barthes wrote: the spirit of Painting would bother, and still does, the Photography . In this cycle a specific concept of beauty is contained, yet the beauty is displayed in a manner characteristic for the author, disturbing. Photography in general is used to represent a human being and the mission of a photographic portrait is to illustrate the portrayed as much as possible embodying their likeness. In a situation when the face becomes blurred by distorting the features, an attempt to penetrate the facade of the represented person is discarded. By the fact of veiling the faces of all of the portrayed Townspeople, one can get the impression that what they look at are mere puppets derived from a common place, yet on whom there was inflicted a semantic death. Although each character is wearing a different outfit chosen by themselves, in the analysis one can only point to the characteristics of general physiognomy, for example the type of the muscularity, length and colour of hair or beard. With these features we can recognize gender or physical condition of the model, such as pregnancy, however, the recipient cannot give the exact description of the Townsman. Supposing these people do not have set names with which we can identify them, and if they do not have a proof of their identity in the form of facial features, as facial physiognomy in this case cannot be included in the individual characteristics, they may not be considered in the category of total individualities. They seem to represent a kind of pulp. Nevertheless, until the end of the formal activities associated with the session, the photographer still has to deal with a subject, who further, through treatments related to the preparation of the shooting, turns into an object, objectifies in the eyes of the artist. From a unique individual he/she changes into a material being devoid of personality, they constitute a matter from which a photographer creates an object with the intention of further reading to provide with ideas. Among others, the above observations made during multiple photo sessions and reflections arising from them led me to undertake research on the broad sense of identity in the art of photography. A series of "The Townspeople" is the first collection manifesting my observations in this field. With empathic skills, I feel that the creation will be received in terms of desire and denial, but primarily it is about meeting the need for action, expression, dialogue with the social or personal situation. This action is always accompanied by catharsis.

Patrycja Pawezowska was born in Poland. She is a member of Association of Polish Art Photographers and a PhD student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice at the Graphics Workshop Department, under the supervisor prof. Ewa Zawadzka. She deals with creative photography and expresses herself in terms of the widely understood portrait. An important element of her photographs is colour, but she fancies black-and-white minimalism, too, beautiful ugliness and balancing on the edge of kitsch. In the artistic field she enjoys designing the real world of an unreal structure. She is a winner of many competitions. She has had individual and collective exhibitions all over Poland and abroad.