Vernissage of the Jeleniogórskie Towarzystwo Fotograficzne photography exhibition
About this event
A photographic archive has a special power. It allows us to see places we know well, while at the same time rediscovering them. In old photographs, Jelenia Góra and its surroundings are often already different: the streets, workplaces, people, and customs have changed. What has not changed, however, is the need to capture time in an image.
The photographs presented in this exhibition remind us of a world where images were created slowly. You had to choose the frame, trust the light, expose the film, and later, in the darkroom, wait for the image to appear on the paper. Each print was the result of the author's knowledge, patience, and decisions. Today, in the age of ubiquitous photography, it is worth pausing for a moment to appreciate that mindfulness.
For the pioneers of Jelenia Góra photography, the camera was a tool for exploring the world. They photographed mountains and nature, monuments, and the everyday life of the city. They created images of the Karkonosze Mountains that shaped the imagination of generations of tourists and residents. They recorded events that, without their work, we would not be able to see today.
The Jeleniogórskie Towarzystwo Fotograficzne has been a meeting place for diverse sensibilities for 65 years. It connects authors with different experiences, subjects, and visual languages. What remains common is curiosity, the need to perfect one's craft, and the conviction that photography can tell important stories.
