Stocznia/Shipyard
Michał Szlaga

The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw is pleased to invite you to the premiere of Michał Szlaga’s book entitled “Stocznia”. This book is a unique piece of work: 270 pages filled with images selected by the artist from among thousands of shots taken during his 13-year long professional career.

Gdansk Shipyard is a symbol of a fall, especially the fall of communism. But in this case, the symbol is changing into reality: the Shipyard itself is on the decline. The halls, once a stage for work and strikes, have now become a titbit for many investors.

Every visitor to the Shipyard knows that the place is truly special. For photographer Michał Szlaga, the Shipyard has become the centre of his life, both private (the artist lives on the premises of the Shipyard) and artistic. Szlaga has consistently kept on taking photographs of the Shipyard, as if it were a living organism that needs to be saved from extinction by all means, at least in the form of a photographic document.