Identity - Artist Research

I am looking at the theme of 'Identity' for my photography class, and I am finding it difficult to find inspiration for this living in a city that is not my own. Do I know enough about Poland to focus of the identity of its residents? Or will I end up presenting this with an undertone of ignorance? What do I really know about it? On the other hand it is hard to focus on my own identity out here. There is so little around me that represents the places I have been, and the country I am from. It's all completely new to me.
I have been researching into some Slovak photographers I have been recommended to look at.


Michael Knížová

Ariel/2010

'Fairytales'

This artist began his work primarily as a painter and has since moved towards photography. 

November Rain / Fall/2009

'FairyTales'

Fairy Tales/2009

This series of fairytales was exhibited in an exhibition called 'Self Identity'. The decision to select specific fairytales is very apparent, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

"Both girls are very young and tragic, with beauty predetermined destiny. It can not be affected and need the help of active hero - Prince." 

- http://michaelaknizova.blogspot.com/search/label/fairy%20tales

I think the colour palette of these images is what strikes me the most. The skin colour remains predominant and pure, and shown alongside the white bath, the white dress, and the whiteness of the sky, enhances this naturality.

There is an essence of helplessness and femininity with this work and I like how the artist has used the well known images of the fairy tales to create something new, and then relating this back to the theme of self identity. 

These fairytales have been with all of us through our childhood, and how do we see them now? How has your perception of these stories and images affected the content of the stories themselves? And how has this changed how you are as a person?

Nik Timková

'Untitled'

I don't know a lot about this artist, nor these images. They appeal to me because the girl is exposed and free. I like how they seem so natural, and at the same time there is an eerie undertone behind the images.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niktimko/

Tomáš Agat Błonski

'My Sme..'

This photographer is the assistant to my Photography tutor here in Kraków. Last week he gave us a presentation of his work, and these three projects were the ones that stood out for me the most. 'My Sme..' is a lovely take on the traditional portrait in paintings and photographs. It is light hearted and fun and having it in black and white keeps the actions of the bird the most important thing, avoiding the distraction of the bright colours of the feathers etc. 

'..osudy duchom plnÿch..'

This piece is one series in a larger series of works of his that I saw in a Slovak Photography Exhibition last week in Kraków. These three stand out the most for me as I like the process that is apparent within the moving and exploding of the balloon and how it affects the water around it.  It's a simple process and using water as an object opens up doors for metaphors to link it personally to everyones lives.

'Cesty s Agatom - Amerika'

These images appealed to me the most from Blłonski's work. The idea was simple, to use an Agat camera and photograph people that he met in America, often without them knowing. I like this because Blłonski has come from Slovakia, and having never been to America before, he shows us the things that he notice to be different and exciting for him. For me, the images are typically 'American' and I like that I can recognise this, and it would be completely different if he had made this project anywhere else. 
I like this idea as I feel I can relate to it because I am in the same situation as him. I am living in a world completely new to me. Maybe this is a direction I can take my 'Identity' project in, focusing on the people of Kraków, and how, as a whole they create the identity of a city.

http://www.blonski.eu/tomas/index.htm