NATALIA PONIATOWSKA
CELEBRATION
Celebration is a project that came to live naturally or even surprisingly during my third-year of study at the Glasgow School of Art when I have been working a lot as an event photographer to support my art career.
As I have been busy with events, I had no time to make a project for a group exhibition. Instead, I thought I would search through my hard drive and commercial shots and try to find at least one good picture I could print for the show. When searching for that one photograph I’ve noticed something quite interesting. I was capturing the moments that were not really about celebrating the events themselves. The function room corners, where no one is dancing became almost like an empty theater sets and the feeling that if I would just slightly move my camera I would capture a big group of people dancing or eating, was something that fascinates me about photography. The ability to present the situation within one frame, with no sound, with no description about what’s happening next to it. Just one frame, for the viewer’s imagination, to make a story of the moment. I’ve been noticing that while taking pictures of kids during the big events, like the photographs of a girl lying down next to the buffet – taken on her parent’s wedding renewal. But these photographs were not showing kids having fun or dancing, but escaping into their own fantasy, careless, doing whatever they want to do.
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Sam and James’ Wedding Renewal’ from ‘Celebration’ series
After exhibiting the project in Glasgow and Prague, I’m more aware of what interests me as an artist in commercial events that I still undertake and I am aware of the fact that I can always make a new work for the project. Although to be honest, when working on big events, I don’t tend to think about it, there’s simply no time to reflect on my personal photographs, I need to concentrate on my job. I have never staged my photographs, I just shoot the kind of pictures that my customers would like to receive and if there is a moment that interests me, then, of course, I will take that picture and maybe use it for my personal interest.
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Summer’s 6th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Claire’s 1th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Sam and James’ Wedding Renewal’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Claire’s 1th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Summer’s 6th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Zidane’s 1th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Zidane’s 1th Birthday Party’ from ‘Celebration’ series
Natalia Poniatowska, ‘Celebration’ project, Installation shot
