Karol Szymkowiak (b. 1983)
He is constantly fascinated by finding surrealism in faithfully recording reality using photography.
His work revolves around themes such as environmental problems, military and civil defence, physical and mental immobilisation. Self-taught photographer, photobook artist, curator and educator based in Poznań, Poland. As a photographer, he has participated in over a dozen group exhibitions.
Member of ZPAF - The Association of Polish Art Photographers.
Scholarship recipient of the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region in the field of culture.
Lecturer in photography at the Institute of Art of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.
In 2025, nominated by Fotofestiwal Łódź for membership in the Futures Photography platform.
Since 2015 he is art curator of a long-term photography documentary project The Września Collection (Kolekcja Wrzesińska) whose patron is the Mayor of the City and Municipality of Września. As part of his work on this project, he is collaborating with leading Polish photographers to create photobooks and exhibitions about his home town of Września.
Solo exhibitions
2024 – 0169-8629 5223-01750, Przystanek Pireus, Poznań, Poland
2021 – C'è Sempre un Tango, WBPiCAK, Poznań, Poland
2021 – C'è Sempre un Tango, WBPiCAK, Poznań, Poland
Selected group exhibitions
2024 – Brzegi Wspólne, Galeria Centrala, Poznań, Poland
2024 – Happening Happenstance, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
2021 – Nietrwałe, Galeria Sztuki Rozruch, Poznań, Poland
2020 – Żywe Mauzoleum, Galeria Nośna, Kraków, Poland
2020 – Wczasy, Galeria Centrala, Poznań, Poland
2020 – Być może tak było, Galeria Obok ZPAF, Warszawa, Poland
2020 – Całkiem nowy człowiek, Galeria Sztuki Rozruch, Poznań, Poland
2019 – V Vintage Photo Festival - Grand Prix Exhibition, Bydgoszcz, Poland
2017 – Eastreet 4 - Photography of Eastern Europe, Centrum Spotkania Kultur, Lublin, Poland
2017 – K Miejsce², Rybnik Foto Festival, Rybnik, Poland
2016 – 6.Leica Street Photo, Leica 6x7 Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
2016 – Der Greif - A Proces 2.0, Kraków Photomonth, Tytano, Kraków, Poland
2015 – Explorations. Between Scientism and Topography. Main exhibition of the 9th Biennale of Photography in Poznań, Galeria Miejska Arsenał, Poznań, Poland
2015 – Eastreet 3, Orga Vida Festival, Zvonimir Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2015 – Eastreet 3, Warsztaty Kultury, Lublin, Poland
2014 – Der Greif - A Process, Neue Galerie im Höhmannhaus, Augsburg, Germany
2014 – Eastreet 2, KD Galerie, Nancy, France
2021 – Nietrwałe, Galeria Sztuki Rozruch, Poznań, Poland
2020 – Żywe Mauzoleum, Galeria Nośna, Kraków, Poland
2020 – Wczasy, Galeria Centrala, Poznań, Poland
2020 – Być może tak było, Galeria Obok ZPAF, Warszawa, Poland
2020 – Całkiem nowy człowiek, Galeria Sztuki Rozruch, Poznań, Poland
2019 – V Vintage Photo Festival - Grand Prix Exhibition, Bydgoszcz, Poland
2017 – Eastreet 4 - Photography of Eastern Europe, Centrum Spotkania Kultur, Lublin, Poland
2017 – K Miejsce², Rybnik Foto Festival, Rybnik, Poland
2016 – 6.Leica Street Photo, Leica 6x7 Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
2016 – Der Greif - A Proces 2.0, Kraków Photomonth, Tytano, Kraków, Poland
2015 – Explorations. Between Scientism and Topography. Main exhibition of the 9th Biennale of Photography in Poznań, Galeria Miejska Arsenał, Poznań, Poland
2015 – Eastreet 3, Orga Vida Festival, Zvonimir Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2015 – Eastreet 3, Warsztaty Kultury, Lublin, Poland
2014 – Der Greif - A Process, Neue Galerie im Höhmannhaus, Augsburg, Germany
2014 – Eastreet 2, KD Galerie, Nancy, France
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