STARA GALERIA ZPAF Author of the exhibition: Agnieszka Sadowska Exhibition title: Ujawnienie/Exposure Curator: Joanna Kinowska Since August 2021, there has been a migration crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border. All of Poland has heard about Usnarz Górny, the state of emergency, the construction of the wall, and the actions of the Border Guard. We all learned the meaning of the word "Pushback." Many organizations provide humanitarian aid, whether by offering medical support, translation services, or delivering food to the "pinpoint." Exposure is a procedure designed to prevent the expulsion of a migrant across the border. It takes place in the presence of a legal representative, witnesses, and media, including journalists. The concept of exposure is also present in theoretical considerations about photography since its inception. An image is developed, revealed during darkroom processes. Finally, this word perfectly fits the mission of photojournalism, its meaning, and purpose. Photos document events, have the power to instantly convey content, and reveal facts. Photojournalists are called the eyes of public opinion. Agnieszka Sadowska, as a photojournalist working with the Białystok branch of Gazeta Wyborcza, has been photographing this crisis from the very beginning. Agnieszka Sadowska: "I think being on the right side is, above all, understanding that these people are walking, they are on a journey. They don't know what kind or how it will end. I would like to see each situation individually. We hear: 'What are they doing here?', 'Let them go back to where they came from.' Many people are in this forest, and each story is different. You only feel it when you meet them, talk to them, see who they are. Hear them." About the author Agnieszka Sadowska is a Polish photographer and photojournalist. She documents socio-cultural events in the Podlasie region and is associated with the Białystok branch of "Gazeta Wyborcza." In 2002, her photos appeared in the album "Fotografie Gazety Wyborczej," and in 2021, they were presented at the collective exhibition "Jedyne. Nieopowiedziane historie polskich fotografek" at the Dom Spotkań z Historią, where Agnieszka became one of the protagonists of the book of the same title by Monika Szewczyk-Witek. She is the author of the award-winning photo in the "Photojournalist of the Year 2022" competition, depicting a refugee at the Polish-Belarusian border. A. Sadowska's photographs documenting the border crisis were shown at the European Parliament in Brussels under the title "Pushback is illegal. Helping is legal." Winner of the Grand Press Photo National Photojournalism Competition in 2023. Joanna Kinowska: An art historian specializing in photography. Independent curator, photo editor, author, and photographer. She works at the Służewski Dom Kultury as the head of cultural education. She is a juror in competitions, a reviewer of portfolio reviews, and conducts workshops for professionals titled "Thinking Photography." Founder of the blog "Miejsce fotografii." Collaborates with https://przekroj.pl/ , Fotopolis, Digital Camera Polska, and Kwartalnik Fotografia. Co-organizer of the Photographic Publication of the Year competition. Member of RAV.A Stories. 🎉 Exhibition opening: Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 7:30 PM 🎨 Curatorial tour: August 9 (Saturday) from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Led by: Joanna Kinowska 📍 Location: Stara Galeria ZPAF, Plac Zamkowy 8, Warsaw 📅 Duration: August 7 – September 14, 2025 Exhibition organizer: Warsaw District ZPAF Exhibition co-organizer: Sleńdziński Gallery in Białystok Free admission
