Where the Wave Falls Silent

The exhibition at the Archeology of Photography Foundation brings together works from the Foundation's archive and photographic, sculptural, and sound installations by Ewa Doroszenko. It explores the fragility of ecosystems and the authenticity of contemporary experience. Taking the classical motif of the landscape—rooted in the history of art—as her point of departure, Doroszenko uses it as a lens through which to examine the current state of the natural environment. Her artistic inquiry is informed by the theoretical perspectives of Arne Næss, founder of the “deep ecology” movement, and Australian environmental activist John Seed. The artist has previously addressed similar concerns in exhibitions at venues such as Fait Gallery (Brno), BWA Gallery (Olsztyn), Exgirlfriend Gallery (Berlin), and Foto Forum (Bolzano).

In line with eco-philosophical thinking, Doroszenko does not merely comment on the ecological crisis but seeks to investigate its roots. She identifies one of its underlying causes in the way we perceive and relate to our surroundings. In the series How to Travel (2019) and Ghost Island (2023), the artist constructs imaginary landscapes, examining the perceptual limitations of the human mind. These intricately assembled objects—composed of pinned fragments of photographs depicting ecologically significant but endangered natural sites—highlight the destructive impact of human expansion. In other works, such as Impossible Horizon (2019), Phantom Territory (2019), and Overlooked Horizons (2023), Doroszenko probes the shifting boundaries between nature and technology.

Referencing the works of seminal Polish photographers (A. Zdebiak, Z. Dłubak, M. Piasecki, and M. Hermanowicz), Doroszenko moves away from the affirmative and documentary functions of photography. Merging post-photographic strategies, sonic landscapes, and digital tools, she invites reflection on the ecocentric idea of interspecies interconnectedness. In the context of accelerating climate change—affecting Poland and beyond—the exhibition Along the Silent Wave emerges as an expression of concern for the natural world. Attentive to holistic modes of perception, the artist also explores the acoustic dimension of the environment, incorporating sound stimuli that enable visitors with diverse sensory experiences to engage actively with the exhibition. With elements that are both artistic and inclusive, the show challenges the primacy of the visual and proposes a more embodied, multisensory experience.