The exhibition presents pictures taken by Stefan Arczyński, Stanisław Kokurewicz, Tadeusz Drankowski and Adam Hawałej – renowned Polish photographers – between 1948 and 1988. What the photos have in common is Lower Silesia – a region of varied landscapes and the natural light. The sun that shines brightly adds nostalgia to those black and white scenes from the times of Polish People’s Republic.

For most of us holidays usually mean recreation, while for others it is a time of hard work. People in the photos were caught while performing banal activities, which we know so well from the hottest time of year. And so we look at sunbathing vacationers, seniors relaxing and knitting, tourists walking in the mountains, bathers convalescing in a sanatorium, pilgrims and youth earning for their holidays.

All those trivial, recurrent moments are contrasted with fleeting histories belonging to the past. There is an old Syrena car on the Wrocław Market Square, where you can try your luck in a lottery. We observe how the film “Take it Easy” was being produced and we witness the ribbon cutting before the departure of the first electric train from Wrocław to Oleśnica and the meteorological observatory is being built on the Sniezka mountain peak

By the way, how are you spending the holidays in Lower Silesia?