Paulina Korobkiewicz is a London-based Polish photographer whose work explores public space and contemporary landscapes, as well as the identity and trauma of post-communist states. As part of her residency at Centrala in Birmingham, she will present an exhibition created in collaboration with the Post-Socialist Britain?: Memory, Representation and Political Identity amongst German, Polish and Ukrainian Immigrants in the UK research project.
Centrala, a centre for Central and Eastern European art launched in 2015 in Birmingham, advocates for inclusion and social integration by creating a space for events, art and discussions revolving around Central and Eastern Europe culture.
Homeland, hosted by Centrala between 6th October and 18th November, will feature Paulina’s work created between West Bromwich near Birmingham and Hyson Green area in Nottingham, as well as work developed by selected participants of the Central European Photography Club running parallel to her residency in the mentioned locations.
Paulina’s photographic series explores the visibility of the migrant community within public space, and the importance of it. The photos presenting common space will be accompanied by anonymous excerpts from interviews with those who wished to share their thoughts on leaving home as well as portraits she took on the high streets in both locations.
Aleksandra Mainka-Pawlowska: In your photographs, you explore common spaces, often with no one in sight. How do they represent their inhabitants and reflect their identity?
Paulina Korobkiewicz: My photographs of public spaces are an exploration of cultural aesthetics away from home and the changing image of the Eastern European migrant community. By documenting the daily paths of the migrants, I tried to identify the notions of belonging, nostalgia for home, and elements of native culture in advertising and local businesses. I explored the influence of migration on one’s identity and the relationship with their country of origin.
By deliberately leaving people out of some of my photographs, I intend to make the audience ask the following questions: how does a specific group of immigrants express its presence in urban public space? how is the specific migrant community represented in the areas of focus? how do businesses address the migrant customer? What is the use/meaning of national elements and symbols after moving abroad?
AMP: I am intrigued by the contrast between your upcoming exhibition’s title and the themes you explore. When we talk about homeland, we usually think of the land we come from, especially in the context of migration. Meanwhile, your photographs present spaces located in the UK. What meaning does the word Homeland give to your project?
PK: Homeland is a documentation of places which become cultural reference points while living away from home. My project explores ideas around the home, memories, common national traits recognised by migrants, the role of their migrant community abroad, their position in it, concerns, aspirations and how they have adapted. The name was inspired by one of the photographs taken on the high street in West Bromwich. It features a household store with the same name. There is a certain nostalgia I feel when looking at this image. I like to think the atmosphere of it captures the feeling of many migrants living their lives away from their places of origin. Is home the place of birth or the current place of residence? This is a big question that a lot of migrants face.
AMP: You photograph neighbourhoods and people you meet while shooting. Can you tell us more about your artistic process? Do you plan ahead, or is your process more spontaneous? What catches your attention?
PK: Throughout the 18 months of my residency, I would walk around Hyson Green and West Bromwich, exploring them by myself. I observed their dynamics and tried to learn what I could about their character. I documented the daily rhythm of public spaces created by the migrant community. I visited Eastern European shops, cafes, multi-centres, hairdressers, Polish Schools among others. I was trying to create a contemporary portrait of the areas of focus while showcasing ideas around building a home away from one’s place of origin. I met with people from the local community, made friends and learned a lot about their lives. The project features contributions from a variety of members of the migrant community. By taking photos of the area, our work aims to help understand the urban cultural landscape and to create a reflection on memories associated with the experience of migration.
As well as documenting the common spaces, I was taking portraits on the high streets in West Bromwich and Hyson Green. The only selection criteria for the people I photographed was the sound of the Polish language. I decided to photograph people on the main streets to link their portraits with the places the research focused on.
Questions I asked people explored:
- reasons for migration
- ideas around the home, memories, and common national traits recognised by migrants
- the role of their migrant community abroad, their position in it, concerns, aspirations and how they have adapted
- if they came alone or with somebody, reasons for coming to the UK, the length of their stay if they like the area or not and why, occupation before moving
- their relationship and view of other migrants in the areas
AMP: Interviewing the people you photograph is a big part of your work. How do you think the collective identity is reflected in the personal memories of an individual?
PK: I think providing a platform for voices from the local community and allowing cultural exchange creates an opportunity to gather individual reflections and together create a collective portrait of the experience of migration and ideas of home. The juxtaposition of various diverse experiences helps us understand the impact the common history of one’s place of origin had on a group of people, and how the collective identity is shaped by that. Through this juxtaposition, we can explore the influence of the previous political system in Eastern Europe on the current generations abroad, challenge stereotypes, and document the shared experience of living away from the country of origin.
AMP: It seems migrants often look back at their country of origin with a sense of sentiment, almost through rose-tinted glasses. Do you think the perception of the homeland and national identity of a migrant is different to that of someone who lives in the country they come from?
PK: I think it really depends, every experience is different. Some people look back with a sense of sentiment, some with a sense of relief, some with a sense of shame, some with a sense of pride and longing…By leaving home, many migrants start to compare their country of origin and their new place of residence. It also depends on what the reasons and the time of one’s migration were. It is very important to consider that.
My interest and exploration of the migrant experience started 11 years ago upon me leaving Poland, my country of origin. I started reflecting on home, the environment that shaped me, when I myself became an immigrant. Seeing the familiar place – home from a distance was different to when everything I was familiar with was on my doorstep. I did not consider certain things about my environment, I did not pay attention to certain cultural norms and expectations, and I was not as aware of other people and their cultures. When I was making trips back home during my studies at the Camberwell College of Arts, I was able to rediscover the place where I grew up and examine it from a different perspective. I started to investigate the sociopolitical processes that shaped the aesthetics I saw. I think familiarity with my immediate environment meant that back when I lived in Poland, I didn’t consider certain things as valuable statements of our culture and collective history.
AMP: In your work, you focus on the migrant communities coming from post-socialist countries – Poland, Germany and Ukraine – what’s the common denominator between these groups? Is it the experience of authoritarian rule?
PK: Most Eastern European countries went through a similar process, and I feel a sense of connection with that part of the world. It’s not that I was made to feel Eastern European, but I chose to think about myself as that. We share history, culture, experiences and there is no reason to be only tied to the country we are born in. I choose to embrace the shared Eastern European identity. The three countries you mention in the question are the focus of the research my project is based on. My work refers to the Post-Socialist Britain research project, but it is not an illustration of it. The research was a starting point for my exploration. During my residency at Centrala, I have been focusing on the Polish immigrant experience, exploring how and if memory is linked to political identity and how this is manifested in a different national context further investigates the experience of the other communities you mention.
AMP: Finally, is there any piece in particular that you are most looking forward to sharing with Centrala’s visitors?
PK: Over the course of the residency, I made numerous trips to West Bromwich and Hyson Green while the Central European Photography Club, the two 10-week series of photographic workshops, was running in each location. I was joining the sessions as a participant, using it as an opportunity to meet more people from the local community and learn about their experiences. For some participants, it was their very first time experimenting with the medium; some thought of it as a hobby, and others were looking for new opportunities to grow and connect with other photographers.
In both locations, I found participants who were already very involved in photography and the pursuit of the art of visual storytelling. These photographers created personal projects, which I supported through sharing experiences and mentoring. I look forward to the exhibition creating a platform for them to showcase their work, as well as a way to combine their perspectives as insiders with my own as an outsider to the areas. I am very excited for the audience to see our works and approaches together and how the works interact with each other in one space. The show will feature photographic projects by Sylwia Ciszewka-Peciak, Yuxi Hou, Ismail Khokon and Marcin Forys. Meeting them and developing this exhibition together has been an amazing experience.
Post-Socialist Britain? is a 3 year research project created by the University of Birmingham and Nottingham Trent University and led by Professor Sarah Jones.
For more information, visit: https://postsocialistbritain.bham.ac.uk/
‘Homeland’
Paulina Korobkiewicz
6 October – 18 November
Centrala Space in Birmingham
