Joanna Górniak

She lives and works in Kraków. She is a graduate of the Academy of Photography in Kraków and the Open Photography Study Programme at the Cracow University of Technology, and is currently studying at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava. She works in portrait and documentary photography. Her interests centre on people and the traces of their presence in relationships, memory and space. In her work, she focuses on everyday life and seemingly insignificant details. She is the author of two independently published photobooks.

Off / On

Off / On captures the moment of emerging from darkness and turning towards the world once again. I explore the experience of withdrawal and the gradual return to an active life. Darkness becomes an image of stagnation, confinement and disconnection, while the emerging light leads towards a renewed connection with reality: curiosity, presence and a readiness to connect with others. Music, movement and shared experiences restore energy and a sense of belonging. Off / On is a story of beginnings and regaining the strength to open up to the world again.