Black Portraits

• Photographer
  Marzena Kolarz

I'm a photographer. I'm an artist. I am the daughter of a chimney sweep. Since childhood my world was tangential to the world of chimney sweeps. This world was full of rules, rights, honor and class. World, whose integral part and attribute was uniform, high-hat and brush. In this world everyone uses specific language and there's a tradition passed down from father to son. My father had only daughters, so a very long time I thought I'd go in his footsteps. I've always been proud of the fact that I am the daughter of a chimney sweep. When I started taking photos, I knew that would be the day when I will come with camera to this world. I was waiting only for the right moment. This moment, when I'm sure what I want and I will be aware of how to achieve it. When I discovered the technique of wet collodion, I knew it was a good time. That would be the perfect combination - portraits of chimney sweeps and the noble technique. For the last half year I photographed chimney sweeps working in Krakow, in technique wet plate collodion (exactly in ambrotype).

Born in Cracow, in 1979, Poland. EDUCATION: From 2015 (still) Pedagogical University of Cracow, Faculty of Art, The third-cycle degree studies (Ph.D.) 2005-2007 The Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan Multimedia Communication Department Complementary Master of Art degree Studies – Photography Diplomas in: Advertising Photography Study and Intermedia Photography Study With honorable mention finish 2002-2005 The Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan Multimedia Communication Department Extramural Department of Photography Diploma in Classical Themes of Photography Study