SPUTNIK PHOTOS

Mateusz Kowalik, Still Far From Paradise

I visited the Suche Mountains for the first time quite by accident. I had heard a few short stories of people who had lived there for a short while, and these stories ignited my curiosity. I felt the unique atmosphere of this place, I was succumbing to the magic of the views, but subconsciously I knew that these were not a good enough reason to abandon the big city and its possibilities for a small village near the Czech border.
I went back there to find out what the real motives of such migration are and get closer to people who decide to take such a step.
Since then I have visited the mountains of Lower Silesia several times. I have met yet more people and at times I have lived their lives. It has taken me a long time to realise that the question “why?” is not the most important thing. I have met people with different points of view and very different experiences. Each has had different reasons to make such a decision. This series is a portrait of people and places that I have encountered while travelling in the south of Poland.
I wanted to show that it is worth realising your dreams and needs. A beautiful landscape does not automatically herald a beautiful and carefree life, but when we make the right compromises, we are able to get what we are looking for, even if it is generally considered to be unattainable.
The series is dominated by the colour green in various shades, because the common feature of my characters is their desire to live closer to nature. I use economical, centrally-composed shots, focusing all my attention on the person or subject being photographed.