Conceptual nominee

Presented series of photographs „Menace” is in Urban Absurd style. Urban Absurd are analog, medium format series of fine art photographs, in urban scenery. The concept is to show the world and certain human behaviours in a grotesque, absurd and critical manner. Main model is my son Maks in a role of menace boy. In one way this series is very personal for me, because I tried to capture a real nature of my son. On the other hand these photographs are very universal because they touch the essence of childchood. What does it mean to be a menace? Who decides that some child is considered to be a menace? Maybe it is only us adults seeing it that way? Maybe it is only us adults that try to make children fit in to some certain roles that society created for them? We grownups and parents especially want our kids to be just like us, have the same hobby, jobs and careers just like us, but kids are just kids. They want to play, laugh and have fun. Besides children learn by making mistakes, so just let them be a menace from time to time...

My name is Michal Sikorski – TeGieeR. I am a photographer from Gdańsk, Poland, a member of GTF - Gdańsk Photography Association. I graduated WFH photography shool in Sopot in 2006. I shoot on film.
I developped my unique style in creative artistic photography and called it „Urban Absurd”. Urban Absurd are analog, medium format series of fine art photographs, made with Pentacon Six retro camera in urban scenery. The concept is to show the world and certain human behaviours in a grotesque, absurd and critical manner. This is a conceptual photography well planned and directed before shooting. I choose models, locations and weather conditions very carefully before each photo session. For me the concept and perfect framing are essential. Although I shoot using a vintage camera, the technical aspects are very important, therefore I work only on Ilford Delta or HP5 materials. Each session is shot on one roll of film, to have the same lighting conditions. I develop my films normal, push or pull depending on the situation, to have maximum grayscale rendering and best contrast possible. Presented pictures ara scanned negatives, but on exhibitions I present my own darkroom prints made on Ilford fibre based papers.