Michał Siarek

Michał Siarek (b. 1991) is a photographer working at the intersection of visual art and research. Drawing on microhistories and documentary strategies, his practice seeks to pose significant questions in seemingly insignificant places.

His debut project, Alexander, examines the myth of Alexander the Great and its influence on the politics of present-day North Macedonia, exploring the mechanisms through which national mythologies are constructed. The monograph based on the project was shortlisted for the MACK First Book Award and received the New East Photo Prize.

Since 2021, Siarek has been working in Northern Norway, initially as a photographer-in-residence at the invitation of Gamvik Museum, and subsequently in collaboration with the Museum of Reconstruction for Finnmark and North Troms and the Museums of the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The latter is the official English name used by the institution for the network documenting Norway’s maritime infrastructure and coastal heritage.

In 2023, his photograph War Cub, documenting the evacuation of exotic animals from Ukraine, was recognised by Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum in London. His related series, War Babies and Korczowa, received the overall Earth Photo 2023 award.

He is a graduate of the Leon Schiller National Film School in Łódź and a recipient of a Norwegian state artist grant Arts and Culture Norway for 2026–2027.