Artur Leończuk's 'Photographs' - monochromatic exhibition in Saska Kępa

Created between 2007 and 2013, the works were made using the classic technique of black and white photography on negatives. They were then exposed in a darkroom under an enlarger on gelatine-silver paper, recognised as the highest standard in museums and collections. They were washed and checked for thiosulphate content. Each photograph is inscribed on the reverse and comes in an edition of five. The Illuminations series was created using a technique that makes it impossible to make two identical prints. An exception in the exhibition is the set entitled Space from 2000, which was created on a colour negative and the prints were made under an enlarger.

The presentation consists of four projects: 'Tessera hospitalis', 'Illuminations', 'Mirrors' and 'Space'.

"Tessera hospitalis".
"Shells of memory", mentioned by Gadamer in The Current of Beauty, defining sharing part of a precious "souvenir" with a friend, leaving the other to meet again many years later and put them together again. Yes, and I share part of the images I have seen in order to turn them into my visible reality, into my paintings and be able to show, share them now. Perhaps, years later, it will be possible to meet, to see again, perhaps one day I will come across the traces left today....

"Illuminations.
The glare I experience sometimes, looking at a gesture, a stone, a light on a wall, a face, situations....

"Mirrors.
They lie sleepily high, high in the mountains. First you have to go by car, then on foot high through the forest into the clouds. Wisely "someone" did not build a road so that curious eyes would not see them. Inherited from time immemorial. Apparently their forefather drowned in the first one. So says Echo.

Artur Leończuk, born 1972 in Hajnówka. Former carpenter, former furniture technician, would-be lawyer, photographer after the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk (BA). A member of the Association of Polish Artists Photographers in 2012-2019, he creatively works in classic black-and-white photography. The themes of his works are self-portrait, landscape, orthodoxy. His works are in private collections and have also been exhibited in the Leica Store. He makes collector's enlargements.

vernissage 22.05.2025, 19:00
The exhibition will run until 12.06.25