Photographer Jacek Durski frames urban spaces transformed into places of rest

"My photo series, ‘Relaxation zone’, documents places that look simple but are anything but straightforward. I found all these places in Katowice, a city in Poland with over 300,000 residents. 

The Silesian metropolis, of which the city is a part, is inhabited by two million people. Historically, this area was connected with heavy industry, such as copper mining and stone quarrying.

In the middle of this city, spaces have been transformed into resting places with the ‘furniture’ being made from whatever was available, from things that might be considered redundant, and created with a unique sense of aesthetics. At first glance, they look ugly but they are intriguing too. We often wonder how one could even function here. To grasp that, we need to understand the creators’ perspective and put ourselves in their shoes.

Each of these photos tells a story of a specific person or family. It shows their social status, interests and sometimes aspirations. Have a closer look at the details, they tell us much about the economic, political and cultural transformations that have occurred in Poland in recent years.

I captured the first ‘Relaxation zones’ in 2018 as stand-alone works but I kept stumbling upon such places. I looked back at my work and saw a pattern, a connection between those settings – that’s how the idea of creating a series came to be. I kept working on that project and, at this point, it features over 60 locations from Katowice and nearby cities.

There is no point in searching for people in these photos – I have excluded humans on purpose. Firstly, I do not intend to stigmatise anybody. I want to avoid creating awkward situations, caused by somebody misunderstanding what I’m trying to convey. Especially because, at times, the exhibitions are located fairly close to where the photo was taken. Secondly, the artefacts should speak for themselves – I want the viewer to look for them and be inclined to reflect. As for me, the details are by far the most exciting aspect. I sometimes go back to revisit those places – it’s like checking in on an old friend and asking ‘What’s up?’

The name of this series is a reaction to the strange, yet increasingly popular way of describing certain areas, such as ‘Parking zone’, ‘Passenger zone’… and ‘Relaxation zone’. When it is being displayed in galleries, I enjoy observing the guests during the exhibition – at times, I even eavesdrop. When I do, I often hear: “We had a table like this 10 years ago”, or “Look! Your mother has the same sofa”. That’s fascinating – the fact that viewers do not detach, but instead identify themselves with what they see".

Jacek Durski

Based in Katowice, Poland, photographer Jacek Durski focuses on long-term projects exploring sociological themes and architecture. He began photography as a teenager and later graduated from the Academy of Photography in Krakow. His works have received numerous commendations and have been displayed at galleries.

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