Humans do not rule this land │ Zuzanna Szarek

Reykjavík Museum of Photography

Time passage is inscribed within the accretions of lava, the never-ending deluge of water and decay of man-made structures scattered throughout the land. The nature that surrounds us is changing rapidly, unpredictably and beyond anyone's control. From time to time there is a house or a car looking like an abandoned toy. A road sign warns about stones lurking on the steep slopes. Finally, in the middle of nowhere, a spill of concrete next to a piece of a metal bridge which was destroyed during the flood a few years back. Humans do not rule this land. Raindrops ferociously hit the rooftop, and the wind swings the metal tin. It’s dark outside. We stop for the night.

In 2016 Zuzanna Szarek started to work on “Humans do not rule this land” series. During her trips around the island using popular rout, no 1 instead of photographing amusing attractions artist focused on subtle changes of the environment and human influence on the meditative landscape. It is a document of an era in which it is still possible to find places unspoiled by the violent interference of industrial progress. Where nature rules.

Zuzanna Szarek photographer
Katarzyna Sagatowska curator

**Zuzanna Szarek bio:**

Polish visual artist, photographer and screenwriter. Graduated with honours from the Media Art Faculty of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and completed PhD studies. Academic teacher.

In art, she searches for expression of absurd, paradox and melancholia. Despite their documentary character, her photographs often reflect emotions. Author of several individual exhibitions, for example, “There Won’t Be Any Other End of the World”. Her photographs are in private and institutional collections, including the National Museum in Gdansk. For more information about Zuzanna please refer to her [website.](https://www.zuzannaszarek.com/)

**Katarzyna Sagatowska bio:**

Polish curator, photographer, lecturer and organizer of art events, as well as promoter of collecting photography in Poland. She graduated from the Institute of Creative Photography at the Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic (where she is currently doing a PhD) and Warsaw Technical University. She was in charge of the Collector’s Photography (FOTOGRAFIA KOLEKCJONERSKA) project – working as a curator and coordinator of exhibitions and auctions of distinguished Polish artists’ photographs (2010–2017). Co-author of the We Are All Photographers (WSZYSCY JESTESMY FOTOGRAFAMI) series. Scholar of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the City of Warsaw.

Jury member in such contests as Young Creative Chevrolet, BZ WBK Press Foto, Grand Press Photo, ShowOFF of Krakow Photomonth and Photographic Publication of the Year (Fotograficzna Publikacja Roku). Author of solo exhibitions and participant in numerous group exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Publishes in magazines, newspapers and books. Her photographs can be found in private collections in Poland and abroad. Founder and owner of JEDNOSTKA – gallery and publishing house.

Hu­mans do not rule this land │ Zuz­anna Sz­arek

Travelling through the empty space we move in slow motion. The monumental landscape scales us in a way that even if we move abruptly we look as though we just woke up from the deepest dream.

Humans do not rule this land │ Zuzanna Szarek