„W poszukiwaniu ciszy” (A Quest for Silence) – Arkadiusz Pałasiński

The exhibition site – the District Museum in Toruń – The Museum of Travellers

The Vernissage – 29th of November 2019, at 4:30 pm

„W poszukiwaniu ciszy” (A Quest for Silence)

European mountains through Arkadiusz Pałasiński’s lens.

The exhibition “W poszukiwaniu ciszy” (A Quest for Silence) is the first exhibition in the „Odcienie Europy” (Shades of Europe) series. In his works, the author reached for a theme close to a contemporary man – silence, or rather its dense deficit.

A contemporary European citizen is experiencing huge civilisational, cultural and technological changes. We are racing through life at an unprecedented pace. We often take care of our bodies, ensuring a high quality of life and seeking the latest gadgets; we get lost in fierce professional and social competition, and forget about the needs of the soul. We lack respite, we lack moderation, we lack internal balance…

According to the author, we all need a little bit of silence, peace and harmony in our lives, which will make us happier, calmer, healthier… We require to take a breath in order to distance ourselves, at least for a moment, from the civilisational, often destructive reality that surrounds us.

At the present stage of his life, the author actively looks for ways to achieve such a state. He clearly points out that one of the most wonderful opportunities is to immerse yourself in the mountain landscape. In solitude or with a little company, away from noisy tourists, away from civilisation. Then, through an unusual contemplation, we can devote ourselves to deep reflections on life, our priorities, and find the necessary perspective to perceive everyday life and to contemplate the beauty of mountain landscapes in full harmony with nature.

In his pictures, the author captured these moments, the instants of joyful emotions, deep thoughts, sometimes even a wild euphoria, occurring spontaneously during the observation of extraordinary performances produced by nature, whether during spectacular sunrises or dynamic weather or at sunset providing gentle light, barely touching the surrounding mountain peaks.

The mountains represent what is permanent, they emanate with power, amaze anyone who can see them from close up, and aid us to regenerate, clear and organise our thoughts.

Some of the displayed images allow us to see with delight how gifted with deep aesthetic sensitivity people can create picturesque buildings that in a very balanced way fit into the surrounding landscape, often perfectly complementing it.

The black-and-white convention of the works allows the viewer to use imagination and reach the depth of one’s aesthetic perception, thereby enabling a highly personal interpretation of the images presented at the exhibition. Viewing the individual frames, one can discover unusual rock formations, enjoy the vast expanses of space, admire the monumental peaks reaching the sky, or, with awe and wonder, observe the highest canyon in Europe from a bird’s perspective.

The format of the works was chosen so that the viewer could fully concentrate and penetrate the image, activate their imagination and easily follow the emotions of the author.

The presented photographic material has been created in the last ten years during the author’s numerous travels to Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Scotland, Norway and Iceland.

About the Author