‘Marble’
This is a clear invitation. Every perspective line, every road leads inside. Row of red trees standing at attention will lead us inside. For years they were fed with blood and demons.
With this photo I gathered all three gates protecting Red Army Officer’s Cemetery. It’s time to visit people, who are tragically bound to this place by death curse.
‘Salvo in honor of…’
I so much wanted the silent cannon to shoot once more. For the fallen ones. For people, whose blood soaked this martyred soil. My comrades in the sky helped me out a little, giving me fire and smoke I needed.
The second gate reveals this unholy place from north. Every socle is protected by steel veterans, standing proud despite of age. Those tanks saw the 1945’s liberation of Wrocław with their own, wrinkled eyes. With their fire red flags on polish ground were brought. I pity them so much. They won’t shake the ground again with their overhelming thunder. Losing power is so much more terrifying than being forgotten. It’s the worst curse.
temeria-or-bust asked: Your latest photo, what kind of aircraft was it? And where did you find it? Its peeked my curiosity.
I had to go deep into my memories to make sure I’ll tell you the truth.
It’s Lim-2, known as MiG-15bis. This little fighter was produced in Poland under USSR’s licence. I found it on ‘military graveyard’ close to an Army Museum in eastern Poland a few years ago.
‘Coffin’
Abandoned bird lost wise steel shine. Stained glass forgot its sparkle, resembling dulled eyes of a goner.
I took this photograph when I was a kid. That wasn’t long ago, really. Desecrating a graveyard was my initiation.
After all, it’s not about how much time has passed, but how long the journey was.
‘Dreamdealer’
Glowing with blazing gas inside, lover of cold night. In the world of grey even the slightest trail of colour was like a glimpse of a better world. Wonderful promise nobody ever expected to be fulfilled.
Seducing with vivid hues, the neons sold nothing but dreams. I bought quite a lot of them. Should I be broke by now?
The neon presented above is one of very few such remanants of soviet times in Poland. Years ago there used to be hundreds of classy neons all around the city, coming in incredible variety of colours and shapes. Now it’s only thanks to nostalgia living in people’s hearts that several survivors still illuminate the evening streets.
‘Insure your home with Common Insurance Company’!
‘Ribcage pt.2’
Skeletal construction formed by vertebral column, sternum and ribs. Contains heart and pair of lungs inside, protecting those most vital organs placed in thoracic cavity.
It was interesting experience to shoot in local Market Hall, juxtaposition of vivacity and cold stilness under one roof. Not too many people seem to rememeber about it’s over 100-years long history when running their errands there. It’s utilitarian role completely overshadowed crude beauty of concrete skeleton above our heads. It was very noticeable, as I was treaten as local curiosity when trying to find the right composition. Some folks were making fun, some others came to chat and joke with me. But there were also some very few people who rised their heads high enough to finally see and feel. I was pleased.
‘Iron Cage’
Be cautious, the Big Bear is always watching!
Looking through the bars at this harmless creature takes me back in time, when such ‘Bear’ was a very significant symbol and personification of USSR’s domination over my Motherland. This place gives me goosebumps.
‘Playground’
I fell in love with this place at first sight. This primary school caught my eye with it’s concrete skin fully covered in extraordinary ‘tottoos’. Colorful murals hide insides unchanged for decades. It’s just like a soviet heritage park where children are trapped into a timeloop filled with grey.
There are no tickets to enter this museum. Just a jump over the rusty fence.
A couple of Frenchies yet told you they can help. :) Where did you find this, Mateusz?
‘Pencil and Crayon’
That’s how those two skycrapers are named. Even though soviet to the bone, they’re not goners. Not yet. Actually, both are pretty alive as they serve as dorm for more than a thousand students.
‘Ołówek’ and ‘Kredka’ have slowly become a part of my everyday life. They are permanent element of the cityscape for almost 30 years, and such state won’t change soon. I have a feeling that if the apocalypse finally comes, two concrete skeletons will silently watch over the wasteland once called Wrocław.
‘Badge of Phoenix’
A mighty silver sign that contains entire history of present Poland inside.
FabLok, which is the abbreviation of Pierwsza Fabryka Lokomotyw w Polsce (First Factory of Locomotives in Poland) dates back to the very beginning of independent Poland. It was established in 1919, not even a year after Poland reappeared on the world map- rising like phoenix from ashes after 123 years of annexation. Not even 20 years of calmness were given as FabLok was compelled to serve Germans after polish deafeat in WW II. When the war was over, during 45 years long communist era it was quite a powerful and efficient factory named after Felix Dzerzhinsky, with it’s full designation forcibly changed to simple Locomotive Factory.
The company survived system change and is well and alive until today. Its name was converted back to original, proud form. How many memories of generations can be fit into such a tiny spangle…?
‘Rudder’
Universe control center. That’s what this place could possibly be, if I’d gotten there a little earlier. Ten years ago. My child within smiles yearningly.
‘On a siding’
Face the steel giant, muscle tissue of proletarian hero.
