Objectively Bydgoszcz is part of the series The Far Un/seen, based on the collection of artistic photography held by the Leon Wyczółkowski District Museum in Bydgoszcz. It is a unique story about the city and its inhabitants, captured through the lenses of several creators connected with Bydgoszcz.
The exhibition presents the work of photographers whose artistic practice shaped the local photographic scene from the second half of the 20th century to the present day. It includes works by Zbigniew Lubaczewski (1929–1985), Jerzy Riegel (1931–2019), Bogdan Dąbrowski (b. 1946), Andrzej Maziec (1948–2015), Stanisław Wasilewski (b. 1948), Jerzy Zegarliński (b. 1949), Arkadiusz Blachowski (b. 1952), Witold Jurkiewicz (b. 1955), Zbigniew Kluszczyński (1959–1997), Wojciech Hetman (b. 1964), Wojciech Woźniak (b. 1964), Grzegorz Kargól (b. 1966), Joanna Rajkowska (b. 1968), Marek Noniewicz (b. 1971), Marcin Sauter (b. 1971), Viola Kuś (b. 1973), and Tomasz Dobiszewski (b. 1977). The photographs reflect a broad spectrum of artistic approaches – from classical documentary and portrait photography, through formal experiments and conceptual practices, to interventions in public space. Although many of the featured artists lived and worked in Bydgoszcz, their interests often extended beyond the local context, addressing universal themes such as identity, memory, transience, and the human relationship with the environment.
The title of the exhibition — Obiektyw/nie Bydgoszcz within the The Far Un/seen series — alludes to the ambivalence of the artist-photographer’s gaze: on the one hand, documenting reality objectively; on the other, subjectively interpreting the world through personal experience, emotions, and artistic sensitivity.
The exhibition not only highlights important figures in Bydgoszcz’s photographic history but also reflects on the photographic medium as a tool for artistic creation and creative sensibility. It tells a story about the city, its people, and a changing world — not just a glance into the past, but also a stimulus for further development and promotion of the Bydgoszcz photographic scene. It becomes a space for dialogue between generations — those who have shaped the local photography community for decades and those who are redefining it today. By presenting the stylistic, thematic, and formal richness of the works, the exhibition inspires reflection on the contemporary potential of Bydgoszcz photography as both an artistic medium and a documentary language. Alongside traditional analogue photography, the display includes works created using relief, isohelia, photomontage, autolithography, serigraphy, and pinhole photography (camera obscura).
Text: Monika Leśniak-Skocka, Wojciech Woźniak
The exhibition is organized as part of the 11th edition of the International Festival of Analogue Photography Enthusiasts Vintage Photo Festival in Bydgoszcz.
Curators: Monika Leśniak-Skocka, Wojciech Woźniak
Artistic Arrangement: Magdalena Moskwa
Exhibition Production: Łukasz Maklakiewicz
Photography and Reproductions: Wojciech Woźniak
Conservation: Lesław Cześnik, Piotr Kopciewicz
Inventory: Monika Poła
Collaboration: Dr. Monika Kosteczko-Grajek, Agnieszka Bembnista, Artur Nowacki
Accessibility: Tomasz Koss
Education: Karolina Krueger, Katerina Niemiec-Miskiewicz, Ewelina Mokijewska, Monika Nowicka
Graphic Design: Katarzyna Milanowska
Promotion: Magdalena Niewęgłowska-Kardas, Beata Sawicka
Technical Execution of the Exhibition: Adam Grzybowski, Romuald Tylkowski, Mateusz Dachowski
Exhibition Care: Małgorzata Kiełpikowska
Opening:
19.09.2025 | 19:30
Opening hours:
Tuesday–Thurdsay | 10:00–18:00
Friday | 12:00–20:00
Saturday–Sunday | 12:00–17:00
Gallery of Modern Art Leon Wyczółkowski District Museum in Bydgoszcz