Interview: Radek von Hirschberg
Luca Curci talks with Radek von Hirschberg during the 15th Edition of VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2022, at Palazzo Bembo.

“Photography is my Bridge between facts and emotions. A link between mind and soul. You are What you feel (…) is my creed” – Radek von Hirschberg. Radek took his first steps in photography in the 1980s in the city of Jelenia Góra, to which his artistic pseudonym refers. However, the mundane aspects of life took priority over his passion and pushed him on a different track. After more than three decades, he has returned to photography, which over this period has undergone a technical revolution. One thing has not changed though – the unlimited possibility of creation, experimentation and self-expression through this form of art. And this is what Radek enjoys the most. Mostly mountains and people appear in his lens, as well as clouds, which for Radek are an inseparable element of landscape photography. The camera is an indispensable part of his everyday life, which results in reportage series and street photography. He is an enthusiast of natural light, but does not avoid working in the studio.

Luca Curci – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
Radek von Hirschberg – Photography is a constant and important part of my life. If I’m not doing a shoot or taking part in an expedition, I almost always have a compact camera with which I capture the most interesting moments of my environment. There are photographs hanging in the house, you can find albums of works by the classics (including Newton, Lindbergh, Avedon and Beksinski) on the shelves. My fiancée Joanna supports me strongly in this passion, including by being my Muse (most of the portraits I do are photos of her). I take part in many exhibitions (e.g. Rome in October), fairs and competitions, I exchange views with other photographers. In short, photography is my life.

LC- What are you currently working on?
RVH – At the moment I am working on a major project for one of the largest Polish fashion houses. I can’t reveal the details, but I’m happy with the artistic freedom I got here. We will present the effects at the end of the year. As for strictly artistic projects, I am still working on the “Emotions” project showing emotions in the black and white faces of my characters. It is to be exhibited in the middle of next year. I am very much looking forward to a photo interview arranged with Ms. Helena Norowicz at the end of September. The day after tomorrow I am flying to Switzerland to capture the fairy-tale landscapes of that country. There’s a lot happening and that’s not all.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
RVH – Good! The Internet makes it very easy to acquire knowledge and new contacts, which is important for artistic development. Access to equipment is so universal that I can focus on realizing my visions. Fortunately, there are buyers for my works, which may not be the most important thing, but it does matter.

LC – Which art themes do you pursue? What is your preferred subject, if there is any?
RVH – Most often people and nature appear in my lens. The camera is an integral part of my everyday life, which also results in reportage series and street photography (all the time I “weare” a compact camera). I have already talked about narrative and conceptual photography. Now let me move on to models. I love working with models – women and men – who speak to me without uttering words. The eyes are the best medium for deep communication, that’s what the message in photography is all about and the beauty of the body is only a means to it (one of many, along with choreography, makeup, hair placement, etc.). Beauty, by the way, is subjective – it passes (not necessarily with age because sometimes the opposite is true) so focusing solely on it is like eating from an empty plate.

LC – How do you feel when you see your work completed?
RVH – For me, working on a photo is very often a powerful dose of emotions, sometimes leading to total exhaustion. These emotions are positive, but often very, very strong. It is very difficult for me to recognize that a particular work is completed. I come back to many after some time, change them a bit, most often the framing – this is an ongoing process with me. However, if I have to hand over a work, I like to be alone with it for a while. I enjoy those moments.

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of preexisting works?
RVH – This is a part of preexisting works.

LC – Can you explain something about the artworks you have in our exhibition?
RVH – I enjoy talking about my works. For some time now, I have begun to devote more time to narrative and conceptual photography. This is because it’s in these areas that I’m even better able to express my emotions in a virtually free way, since so much space is given to me by my own photography. This basically unfettered freedom of expression has resulted in several series and works. First of them is all the time ongoing a project about loneliness, getting lost in the crowd, the rush we undergo and which destroys us. Seemingly it’s obvious, everyone talks and writes about it, there are dozens of books on mindfulness, yoga, meditation, ZEN and many similar, and yet … it’s still a common problem. And note, it doesn’t just affect us adults, but children as well. Children, who are often forced to participate in the race of their parents, to “dance in a crowd of strangers.” And it’s too fast for them and they are alone in this. That’s what this photo is about. It’s meant to speak and it says. It is a great honor for me to be qualified with this work “Desolate / To fast for me” for the LAB ROME’22 exhibition, which will be held soon in Rome in October 8-22 in the Eternal City. “(Deep) Trust”: the two children swimming underwater is a metaphor for the trust a little girl has in her older brother. This photograph is special, as is its message, as these two are step-siblings under the care of their father. A lot of meanings, a lot of emotions. “Right Perspective”: the cross with Matterhorn in the background is a mixture of landscape and evocative photography. Christ facing the beautiful yet dangerous mountain appealed to me very much.

LC – What do you think about the organization of our event?
RVH – I like it.

LC – What is your idea about ITSLIQUID GROUP?
RVH – Positive. Very positive.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
RVH – Not at the moment, but I will get back to you when everything is completed.