The medium of photography is a story of atmosphere for this 23-year-old Polish visual artist and graphic designer. But also, of healing. This discovery, combined with exploration, had therapeutic and cathartic effects at a difficult time in his life. Solitary figures, silhouettes lurking in the shadows, glittering neon lights, car headlights, skyscrapers lost in the mist, nebulous landscapes… The images reveal all their cinematic intensity. No wonder. Dominik Podlipniak draws his inspiration from the seventh art, film soundtracks and the lighting work of cinematographers. The child with his back to the burning house is inspired by the fire scene in Andrei Tarkovsky’s “The Sacrifice”. Others, like “Blade Runner 2049” or “Dark City”, seem to come straight out of graphic novels, neo-noir and science-fiction cinema. You could almost hear ambient music or synthwave. Elsewhere, references to Edward Hopper also emerge, like the single light shining in the apartment of a building with a dark façade. Lighting, composition and narrative are the key words in the image-making process of this young talent, who captures furtive moments that reflect his vision of the world.
Pologne – Szczecin
Crédits photos © Dominik Podlipniak