The photograph "60 Cows" tells the story of a large herd that, for years, was an integral part of the Polish countryside, where the artist was a frequent visitor. During his morning walks at sunrise, he observed the cows running joyfully into the meadow – their energy and leaps reminiscent of small dogs at play. When the animals suddenly disappeared one summer, Sadaj learned that the entire herd, from calves to older individuals, had been sent to a slaughterhouse.
The empty meadow and this moving story led the artist to express his emotions, sense of loss, and memory of the herd through photography. For the next two years, he travelled across Poland in search of the perfect shot, exploring the realities of contemporary animal husbandry. He was particularly affected by an article about robotic barns, where 60 cows, isolated from the outside world and natural light, functioned merely as part of an efficient system. Although technology has increased milk yields by 30%, exhausted animals are "replaced" with new ones after just two years.
In this photograph, the artist captures the dewlap of a cow, with two flies circling it. This symbolic composition evokes an aerial view of land and water. However, in a literal sense, the presence of flies near the animal's body suggests danger and the inevitability of death.
2017 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
2023 - Traveler Photographer Of The Year 2023 - Special Mention in The Best Single Image in a Portfolio category
2023 - Group exhibition Travel Photographer Of The Year 2023, festiwal Xposure Festival, Sharjah, Emiraty Arabskie
2020 - Sunny Art Prize 2020 – short list
2020 - Group exhibition Sunny Art Prize, London, Sunny Art Center, Great Britan