Joanna Chudy „Oblivion. Hidden Identity”

The Oblivion. Hidden Identity series allows me to go back to a theme related to the human condition. The titular reference to oblivion indicates an unnatural state. Treating it as a factor of human weakness, as a type of amnesia involving a loss of memory in relation to events, is a pretext for utilising archival images. Images from my memory, but not only mine. The clash between the past and the present is the main focus of the series. This view spanning several generations reveals the history of the southern part of the country, which is culturally and socially diverse, and rich in various traditions and experiences. A rather complicated history because it is connected with a difficult period of time. The series consists of over a dozen photographs of various sizes, in both black-and-white, accompanied by a publication and multimedia activities. It begins with an already familiar image of a piece of fabric that I deliberately deconstruct. I draw back the curtain, allowing a character to enter. I reveal an image of Podhale. A picture by Bruegel appears, painted on white snow – a multi-faceted image in terms of both form and content. An image that conveys the story of many people, but draws the viewer's eye to one figure, that of a woman. An athletic person, crossing a road that is somehow historically important, who is discovering the history of her identity, discovering herself.