Photography on refugees

On 10 February, 5.00 pm, a meeting with the Norwegian photographer Rune Eraker will be held at Villa Decius. The meeting heralds the first exhibition of works of the photographer to open at MOCAK – the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow – on 13 February.
At the same time it is the first exhibition of socially engaged photography at MOCAK. It consists of 73 black-and-white photographs from The Smell of Longing series and two screenings showing other photographs from this series never displayed before. All the photographs presented at the exhibition have been taken since 1988. They document Eraker’s travels in 22 countries ravaged by war, political repression and hunger. They are an attempt to address the reasons why people are forced to abandon their roots and seek shelter abroad. Documenting everyday situations from the lives of the displaced against the backdrop of tragedy and war, the artist always took a couple of snapshots.
The exhibition will juxtapose photographs the artist has selected for his series The Smell of Longing with others he rejected. The photographs will be accompanied by the artist’s commentary – Eraker’s personal account from the conflict zones.
From 22 February, six students of the Film School in Łódź will display their works created during the photography workshop with Rune Eraker at the Re Gallery.
The meeting with Rune Erkaer at Villa Decius and his exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow – MOCAK once again shows that Krakow is a city of lively discussion on human rights and contemporary refugees. In 2011, Krakow joined the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN). In May 2013, on the eve of the 3rd Miłosz Festival – devoted to the author of the famous Noty o wygnaniu (Notes on Exile) – an extraordinary conference of ICORN and PEN International WiPC – the most important international organisations gathering writers from all over the world and promoting human rights was held in Krakow. More than 200 guests from 50 countries participated in the conference Writing Freedom. Today, Krakow is becoming a point of reference for civic movement and non-governmental organisations from Central and Eastern Europe which advocate the freedom of speech. Krakow is sending a clear message that it is a city of freedom that promotes human rights.
The meeting with Rune Eraker will be held on 10 February at 5.00 pm at Villa Decius (interpreted into Polish, free admission). The opening of the exhibition of the Norwegian photographer’s works at the Museum of Modern Art in Krakow – MOCAK is planned for 13 February, 6.00 pm.
Rune Eraker (born 1961) – a Norwegian-born documentary photographer. Since 1990 a member of the photographic group Hollandse Hoogte. Heads the editing team of the magazine Norwegian Journal of Photography. In 2002, he won an award given by the USA Society for News Design for his series The Democratic Republic of Congo, and in 2009 he was named Freelancer of the Year in Norway.
Rune Eraker’s photographic series are firmly based in the aesthetics of classical European documentary photography. His works have appeared in numerous magazines all over the world.
Opening date: 13.2.2014
Open: 14.2–27.4.2014
Curator: Delfina Jałowik
Co-ordinator: Joanna Saran