Agata Mendziuk
Closer
The theme of the “Closer” series is a threatened sense of security in the personal and social dimensions. A starting point for the series is my strong belief that threat emerging in seemingly distant places eventually affects all the world’s societies in a chain reaction. In this sense hardships experienced now in external environments are close to us, getting closer every minute. This is why the project is composed of portraits of diverse people in domestic or urban spaces - familiar and safe, in which, however, a disturbing dissonance is present. The glow of the fire visible in the background of an idyllic scene or the shattered glass of the window that creates composition for the whole image plays a major role. It emphasizes the tension between the reliable repetition of everyday life and the shock created by imminent danger. Each setting and detail refers to a story gathered during the project which is transformed into a single image. This way, individual stories create a collective narrative. The final images increase the tension by asking a crucial question: When the danger strikes will you be its adversary or observer?
