I hope that future generations will say that I belong to Homo Varsoviensis.
Who is Homo Varsoviensis? From the historical point of view, it is a person who devoted life to Warsaw. How? For example, by participating in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Or someone who was rebuilding the Polish capital after the Second World War. I am convinced that no matter in which period someone was living, the first and the most crucial issue regarding naming someone Homo Varsoviensis is that one has to love Warsaw. Without the love of the city, there is no Homo Varsoviensis. The truth is that I am the one who is living and breathing with the city.
I cannot imagine living somewhere else than Warsaw.
Indeed, I do not want to live elsewhere, whether it be a magnificent New York City, romantic Paris, hot Rome, exotic (for me) Sydney, modern Tokyo, or cold Moscow. I already wrote that I do not ask myself what Warsaw can give to me (e.g., a place where I can present my photographs).
Still, I ask myself what I can provide to my beloved city.
I want Warsaw to become as famous a city as it’s possible. I hope all my photographs and artistic activity contribute to Warsaw’s fame as artistically renowned as Paris, Rome, London, or New York City. It is one of my creative dreams. The truth is that the capital of Poland arose from ashes as Phoenix did in ancient Greek mythology. After the Second World War, Nazi Germans destroyed this city by more than 80%! Many people heroically rebuilt this city. The magical and tragic history of the town and the fact that I started to live here in 2004, and that I can do something remarkable for Warsaw provide me a neverending influx of inspiration. Undoubtedly, Homo Varsoviensis wants to do something for Warsaw and is not asking what the capital of Poland can do for him.
PS
I wrote this text on the 10th of May, 2021.
