Opar

EDITION

2023, Shortlisted

school

University of Arts of Poznan, Poland

links

@jankwysocki

The world we know is changing ever faster and more rapidly. Humanity, driven by constant development, falls victim to the exponentially growing appetite for goods and resources. Satisfying this hunger relies on the continuous exploitation of our planet. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for energy, upon which nearly every aspect of modern life depends. Chimneys of power plants towering above all natural structures have become an inseparable part of the landscape, and their monumental silhouettes shrouding the sky in smoke and steam serve as a reminder of the price we pay for global ambitions. In my work titled “Opar” (English: Fume) I focus on the visual burden that structures of energy production have become for the landscape. I am primarily interested in the relationship between the visible elements of power plants, such as chimneys and power lines, and their surroundings. The photographs included in the work tell a story of the inevitability of the changes brought by the Anthropocene era. While the ecological motif is inherently connected to the topics I address, it is secondary in this case. Instead of focusing on the environmental consequences of energy production, I aim to portray these structures as an integral part of the contemporary landscape.