Review by Gerhard Clausing •
None of us can escape the process of getting older. Lucky are those who have a granddaughter like Aleksandra Żalińska who can document that process in a sensitive manner and at the same time narrate details about a special personal bond that transcends the generations.
We can recall the well-known images of John Coplans, who documented his own aging through a series of very graphic singular photographs of his body years ago. What makes Żalińska’s work even more effective is that she documents her grandmother’s life within the context of everyday events and challenges. In addition, she allows us to participate in that life through her granddaughter eyes, also presenting some images that allow us to see both generations. Most especially, in many cases she uses techniques that intentionally disregard the strictures of traditional photography (sharpness, focus etc.).
Aging is an iffy process, full of many little moments of uncertainty. The images presented in this photobook transmit the feelings of those moments through the approaches used by the photographer. We see moments of both frailty and strength on various occasions. The grandmother is presented through her daily activities as well as through some items around her place. Body shapes are contrasted with shapes of the environment in ways that make the viewer search for details to compare what he or she is seeing. Mementos of the past and of the present contribute further impressions.
Żalińska is able to transport the viewer into a world that is seldom holistically shown. We can definitely feel the warmth and optimism that is depicted against a background of temporal progression. This project is a great example of an effective presentation of intergenerational support, respect, and mutual love.
I recommend this photobook highly as a personalized visual narrative that speaks to our modern sensitivities. Its presentation of seldom-observed moments makes it accessible to contemporary viewers of various ages and can serve as a vehicle for furthering mutual understanding between generations as well.
No one knows when one’s existence will end, but Aleksandra Żalińska and her grandmother are teaching us that warmth, optimism, and mutual support will go a long way toward making the lives we have more palatable while we are around and are facing various challenges.
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This photobook received the Polish Photographic Publication of the Year 2023 Award.
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Gerhard Clausing, PhotoBook Journal Editor, is an author and artist from Southern California. At times he will also be found in the Franconian countryside.
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Aleksandra Żalińska – But Please Be Careful Out There. / Ale uważaj tam na siebie.
Photographer: Aleksandra Żalińska (born and lives in Sosnowiec, Poland)
Publisher: Self-published; © 2022
Texts: Aleksandra Żalińska
Language: Polish and English
Hardbound, sewn; 96 pages, unpaginated; 8.5 x 11 inches (21.7 x 28 cm); ISBN 978-83-966794-0-6; first edition of 50.
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Articles and photographs published in the PhotoBook Journal may not be reproduced without the permission of the PhotoBook Journal staff and the photographer(s). All images, texts, and designs are under copyright by the authors and publishers.
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