Ołtsajders

   Yesterday a postman brought an envelope, which I was waiting for for some time now. It came from Radom, Poland. It was sent by a comic book artist and a creative person in general (writing short stories as well) - Paweł 'Gierek' Gierczak (HERE is the link to his art dealer if someone would like to check, or purchase his original artwork).

I was exited to open the envelope, and I was exited for two reasons. First, I will be finally able to read the 4th volume oh his hardcore underground comic book OŁTSAJDERS, and second, my fan art is published inside the book. 

Gierek drawn a picture for me in the book with a positive message - 'don't drink.' :)

   I am already after reading the book, and as always, I am hungry for more. Gierek amazingly represents the life of late communism and early capitalism from the perspective of an ordinary family. Although it is a biographical comic, I can see a lot of myself there. Not that I did what Gierek did, but rather I recognise certain situations, he witnessed himself in totally different region of Poland. He also speaks, especially in the short story at the end of the volume, about emigration movement to the UK and adventures after his return back to Radom. These links make me think that I would like to do something more with Gierek (not just a fan art). Some form of collaboration, if he would like to go ahead of course. This is something that comes from my mind on a page here, no specifics, and no time to do it until I finish writing my thesis, but maybe after? An exhibition? A zine? Who knows ;) 

   Anyway, I am posting few pictures of the book and my fan art as printed in it (they look better in this size than original). I just want to say here, that I am aware, I am not a great artist ;) In fact, I don't think I am an artist at all. But I enjoy doing things, for different purposes, and I really do enjoy seeing the outcome of my fanboy endeavours ;) 

Below I am adding a two WIP pictures of the first drawing I did. 

   Today morning, when I was riding the short story at the end of OŁTSAJDERS, Ewa asked me about the comic I am reading. I showed her my drawings in the book, and the surprise in her eyes was a priceless moment to witness. She saw me drawing that stuff a few months ago, and now she sees a final product. Maybe it is good for her to see stuff like this. Books are not only to read, but also to make, to write, to draw. 

Current mood - RATM

Afro PRL - a video from the opening.

History Meeting Place published a video from the opening of the 'Afro PRL' exhibition.

Tobe Nwigwe is dope!

Disapearance of E. Zatopek.

Another fascinating (side) discovery day. While working on my thesis and looking at some more images from the 1955 Festival of Youth and Students in Warsaw, I found this image... It is obvious, that it was selected by the CAF editor for print. We can see his cropping markings - instruction for the lab of how to print the image for circulation in press. But if the image was selected, I wondered, why the face of one of the depicted people is covered? Someone clearly didn't want it to be visible. And there is a name written on the faceless figure... 

I googled the name, and it turns out that Emil Zatopek is a winner of 3 gold medals during the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. According to this article from Independent, he took a stand against Soviet led tanks of the Warsaw Pact army invading Czechoslovakia in 1968. The above article describes in detail Emil's role in the protests, and disappearance from the public life he had to face after the communist took the power again. 

Removal of individuals, seen as traitors, from Soviet photographs is widely researched, but it is the first example I found myself of such a case in Poland (having said that, I am sure there are plenty more examples of that from the Stalinist period, and that they were also researched). It is interesting that the removal happened almost 15 years after the image was taken (there is no other logical explanation). I can't imagine that someone went through archives with aim to remove Zatopek's face from images, I think the image was found after 1968, accidentally, when looking for other photographs, and destroyed on occasion. But then again, who knows? There are few more questions though. Is the negative of that image in tact? Are other images of him destroyed as well (there is only one more example of destruction of an image I found in the festival archives)? I guess it is a material for a short essay, I have no time to write ;)