60 COWS
The photo of 60 cows tells the story of a large herd that was an integral part of the landscape of a Polish village where I spent a lot of time over the years. I often went to the fields early in the morning to admire the sunrise, and when I returned home, I was always happy to see the cows running in the meadow. They ran with joy and their jumps reminded me of the energy of young dogs at play. Unfortunately, one summer the cows no longer appeared in the meadow, which prompted me to enquire about their fate from the neighbours. It turned out that the entire herd, including the older cows and the young calves, had been sold to a slaughterhouse for meat.
I couldn't get this story out of my head, especially when I returned from an excursion at sunrise and looked at the empty meadow. I finally decided to save this story on a photograph
Over the next year, I travelled all over Poland in search of this one unique picture. In the meantime, I discovered other stories related to cow husbandry. I particularly remember a newspaper article describing a new, innovative milking technique: 60 cows were standing in circular barns and were fed and milked without human intervention.
I couldn't get this story out of my head, especially when I returned from an excursion at sunrise and looked at the empty meadow. I finally decided to save this story on a photograph
Over the next year, I travelled all over Poland in search of this one unique picture. In the meantime, I discovered other stories related to cow husbandry. I particularly remember a newspaper article describing a new, innovative milking technique: 60 cows were standing in circular barns and were fed and milked without human intervention.
Without contact to other animals, to the sky, to grass and to fresh air, their whole life took place in confinement. Although this technology increased the productivity of the dairy cows by 30%, after two years their performance dropped significantly and the tired animals were sent to the slaughterhouse to make room for 60 more.
In my photo you can see the neck of a cow with two flies hovering below her. The composition of the picture is highly symbolic and suggests danger and imminent death. It can also be interpreted as an aerial shot showing a piece of land and water, referring to the general context of industrialised animal husbandry.
The story of the 60 cows was the impetus for the photo project "The Line", which tells the fates of animals in our human world. When the project is completed, all the photos will be hung next to each other on a wall, forming a lifeline that represents my personal hope for change.
2017 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs + 2AP, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
100 HORSES
We love horses because of their beauty. We appreciate paintings, photos and sculptures that praise the beauty of these animals, but we are not interested in their true fate… When these animals are too old, too tired, too sick or simply superfluous, they end up on the meat markets. They are often transported across Europe on trains in appalling conditions. They travel in terrible agony from Poland to Italy, France and Belgium to end their lives in slaughterhouses.
The photo shows only a fragment of the horse’s body, it is meant to resemble a planet – a place of great pain on a global scale. I have deliberately refrained from showing the most beautiful fragments – the head, the muscles or the silhouette of the horse… In reality, we have forgotten them.
The title of the photo refers to the hundred horses that were saved from such a fate by a foundation that runs an animal shelter for them. Each of them is a heartbreaking story in its own right.
The title of the photo refers to the hundred horses that were saved from such a fate by a foundation that runs an animal shelter for them. Each of them is a heartbreaking story in its own right.
2021 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs + 2AP, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
40 GOATS
In 2016, Ms Lainey Morse developed a new type of yoga class in Oregon. People practise in the presence of small goats. The animals like to accompany them, they let themselves be stroked and jump on the practitioners during the training. The mere contact with the goats allows for deeper relaxation, the touch is calming and their antics energise you and put you in a good mood. These animals are very sociable and curious, they willingly participate in joint activities. This shows how much good we can do for each other, living in symbiosis, without cages, without suffering.
In everyday life we have forgotten to communicate with nature, with animals, the contact can be the best remedy against stress, loneliness and depression.
The photo is inspired by the story of 40 goats who took part in goat yoga for the first time in Poland in 2018. The exercises with goats were incredibly successful and are a permanent fixture in the calendar of one of the animal shelters, the pioneer of goat yoga in Poland.
The photo is inspired by the story of 40 goats who took part in goat yoga for the first time in Poland in 2018. The exercises with goats were incredibly successful and are a permanent fixture in the calendar of one of the animal shelters, the pioneer of goat yoga in Poland.
2021 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs + 2AP, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
42 HENS
Hens are extremely delicate birds with exceptional sensitivity, they can even live up to 10 years. The photo shows part of one of the hens living in the countryside, on a small farm. Nobody will kill her here, the bird will live and die naturally. After the words „it's good that you're here”, nobody asks anything of her. As the farmer says, she sometimes gives eggs and the most important word here is „gives"... There are 42 happy hens on this farm who sometimes give eggs to their hosts.
This story was given as a contrast to factory farming where chickens live for 6 weeks. Chickens destined for meat production are given a special feed that makes them gain weight very quickly. Those that are weaker or smaller than the others are brutally killed on the spot.
This story was given as a contrast to factory farming where chickens live for 6 weeks. Chickens destined for meat production are given a special feed that makes them gain weight very quickly. Those that are weaker or smaller than the others are brutally killed on the spot.
At 5 weeks, the chickens gain unnatural weight, when they fall over they are no longer able to get up, the breeders turn them over so that they can eat and drink. At the 6th week, the hens are no longer able to bear their weight, they lie on the litter. At this stage, they are collected and transported to the slaughterhouse. In a moment, new, beautiful, pink pieces of meat on plastic trays, secured with foil, will appear in the store.
The photo refers to the delicacy and sensitivity of hens, such as we are unable to experience when going to the store for meat. Can this change? Can the quoted story of happy hens become an inspiration on a larger scale?
The photo refers to the delicacy and sensitivity of hens, such as we are unable to experience when going to the store for meat. Can this change? Can the quoted story of happy hens become an inspiration on a larger scale?
2022 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs + 2AP, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
13 SWANS
In the past, swans were called „royal birds”, not because of their beauty, but because of the unique flavour of their meat, which was destined for royal tables. The powerful magnates moved away and these birds were no longer bred but now live in the wild. This photo tells the story of a flock of mute swans, migratory birds that normally fly to warmer countries in autumn. However, this is not always the case. In summer, people feed these birds.
The abundance of food leads them to decide to stay in the same place for the winter. Unfortunately, when the temperature drops to negative values, the consequences are dire. Birds often die en masse when trapped in ice on the water surface, and also starve to death when everything around them is frozen.
The scene shows part of a flock of 13 mute swans shortly before they decide to fly to warmer countries.
The scene shows part of a flock of 13 mute swans shortly before they decide to fly to warmer countries.
2020 Photography. Limited edition 10 pcs + 2AP, pigment print on the cotton Fine Art paper, 640×900 mm (500×750 mm without borders)
