ARTUR SIKORA PHOTOGRAPHER: 2018

Wednesday, 26 December 2018

The beginnings ...

This morning I opened the box with collection of my old negatives. Some of them from 2008/2009. Yes, that was the moment when I started my adventure with analogue photography. About 2 years earlier this medium became my form of so called visual expression. Surprised?

No, I wasn’t born with camera ;) I got my first one (smena 8m) when I was about 8 years old but after exposing a few frames, film broke in the camera. It was never processed and I didn’t bother to use smena again.

It’s all started rather about 2007/08. Initially street mixed with architecture. Modernist concrete structures were always my favourite subjects since then…. approached in a bit different way than I do it now.

Here you can see short series of frames exposed around Berkeley Library in 2009. All mages on Fuji NCN400 black and white C41 film, Mamiya C330 Pro.

I didn’t process negatives myself back then. I decided to play with a few months later. And then it was like a flood …. Roll after roll, cameras, experiments and so on…

Below photographs are ‘remastered’ if I can say that. I rescanned all frames in higher resolution using much better scanner and software than I had available 10 years ago.

Thank you!

Saturday, 15 December 2018

Back to the East...

August 2016 ... 'Journey to the East...' (please use this link to read old blog post).
That was a very hot summer. Strong sunlingt, blue sky and incisive shadows from early morning. Perfect weather for Holga .
Last night I found a few more photographs from that time. As usually these images had to mature to be ready for presentation.
... 13 photographs which I decided keep in drawer until now.
Eastern Poland: Hrubieszow, Zamosc and Lublin once again... and its mostly old buildings sometimes typical for this particular region.

Lublin © Artur Sikora

Zamosc © Artur Sikora

Hrubieszow © Artur Sikora

Zamosc © Artur Sikora

Hrubieszow. Abandoned factory 'Hakon' © Artur Sikora

Hrubieszow © Artur Sikora

Lublin © Artur Sikora

Thank you!

Sunday, 9 December 2018

Destruction of architectural heritage

Couple of years ago I photographed two significant buildings representing influential movement in history of architecture… 'Along The Canal ...' (Please click this link to read described post and see mentioned photographs.)

Today these structures are gone, flattened , destroyed…

Dublin (and not only I am afraid) already has a record of treating valuable buildings in a shameful way in past century.

'Dublin Disappearing Over Night' ... Georgian Houses back then. Modernist architecture now.

Incredible, vital concrete structures are endangered being replaced by shiny glass blocks.

This time not overnight but on equally massive scale and it seams to be unstoppable.

...

Bord Fáilte headquarters designed by Robin Walker (of later Michael Scott & Partners) in 1961.

Fitzwilton House designed by architects Emanuel Shoolheifer and Don Burley and completed in 1969.

And some time before that...

Thank you!

Sunday, 18 November 2018

Postcards from Ballymun...

Beautiful, sunny day. October 2010.
Camera loaded with unusual for me material - Velvia 50, colour reversal film...
Now it's like a traveling in time... especially if Ballymun has changed so much since then.
That was a moment in time when every corner of now 'Old Ballymun' was so inspiring.

Yes, it's another blog post based purely on archival materials initially rejected. It basically must have evolved in me and I had to grow into the decision of showing it...

Sunday, 11 November 2018

Up in the mountains ...

Looking through old negatives I came across a few photographs from before 7 years ago which I rejected for some reasons. I think it's a good moment to bring them back to life. The more so now that I think the initial decision was bad.
Wicklow Mountains February 2011...

Sunday, 1 July 2018

Kino Kijów / Kiev Cinema

Kraków. March 2017. On the way back home.
There was still a few hours left to plane departure so I decided to spend it walking with camera (Polaroid SX-70) and visit a few architectural sites. Kino Kijów (Kiev Cinema) - building designed in between 1961-63 by Witold Cęckiewicz and opened in 1967 was one of them.
It's one of the finest examples of polish modernism. It was also the biggest (960 spectators), most modern and the first widescreen cinema in Poland back then.
Kiev Cinema is a part of complex with beautiful Hotel Cracovia designed by the same architect in 1965.

Original photographs of the interior of Kiev Cinema on the pages of 'Witold Cęckiewicz – monograph'

Kiev Cinema - Rear Elevation
with fragment Hotel Cracovia (1965) in the background
© Artur Sikora

I was especially intrigued by a beauty and simplicity of the form of southern elevation (image bellow). I made a photograph which I wasn't entirely happy with. It was lacking something...

Just a few minutes later I notices an elderly lady slowly walking towards the building. That was the time to make another approach. I visualised wonderful contrast coming in ... monumental concrete wall and somehow fragile, tiny old lady... Quick focus adjustments and now just await for the moment the lady will walk in to the right position. Click....

In January 2018 this photographs was published in Black+White Photography magazine (digital edition) - B&W Photographer of the Year 2018 competition edition - selection of the judges’ favourites.

Now copy of the same photograph can be viewed on the wall of Royal Hibernian Academy Gallery as a part of RHA 188th Annual Exhibition (until the end of August)

Wonderful show definitely worth a visit if you are around.

Thank you!

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church at the Airport

Our Lady Queen of Heaven Church at Dublin Airport, designed by Andrew Devane and built in 1964 - Another building within ‘Unfulfilled Dreams’ project.

Being at the airport a few times a year I never had a chance to see it in other way rather than from the distance. Now I could touch it, feel the surface of each brick and concrete. Incredible experience.
Especially in such a day - bright, sunny, clear sky. It could not be better. Beautiful, simple building enriched visually with strong shadows which gives another dimension to it.

What beside the walls? Very simple, almost minimalistic atrium surrounded by straight columns followed by quiet interior with discreet, subtle illumination from stained glass windows.

All pure and majestic ... Absolutely wonderful …

You can have a look at photographs from two other buildings designed by Andy Devane I visited while ago:

Saint Fintan's church in Sutton
AiB Bankcentre

Thank you!

Sunday, 25 February 2018

Strolling in the snow...

I spent a few days in Eastern Poland over a week ago. Very short and almost unexpected visit to Hrubieszow and area. Whole place was covered in snow. Temperature just below 0C during the day and a bit lower at night with snow fall.

White streets every morning and the most beautiful meadows, forests and nearby villages where snow stays all the time.

I recently realised how much I enjoy visiting places related to my childhood as I am getting older. That must be natural process …

The same about spending more time with parents I usually can see only once a year.

My perception of surrounding has changed over the years and I can see more I suppose then I used to when I was not even 20. Lots of memories comes back. I appreciate things I did not back then.

Now I always have a camera (or a few) with me which makes it easier to memorise it in the way I want to.

Entire short stay was filled with long walks with my father where we could talk a lot and I could soak in surrounding nature with all senses. Wonderful experience.

'A must selfie' with my father ;)

Landscape, old churches and houses or rather whatever left ... this is what I was focused on.
All materials are processed now. Need to scan everything which is actually the most time consuming part. I will slowly present all photographs on my so called social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (please follow the links)

Thanks!