For whom: the entire UniLodz community and the local community
When and where: 19鈥�28 June, Biedermann鈥檚 Palace, Franciszka艅ska 1/5
Fotofestiwal is one of the most important events dedicated to photography and visual culture in Europe.
For 25 years, it has taken place in 艁贸d藕 鈥� a city that knows how to observe attentively: people, communities, social tensions, memory, freedom and a changing world. It is a festival that does not treat photography merely as an image. It sees it as a language of conversation, a tool for critical thinking and a space for encounter.
This is a programme about looking 鈥� but also about responsibility for what we see and how we talk about it.
This year鈥檚 Fotofestiwal programme addresses themes that are equally close to the academic community: the crisis of democracy, the climate catastrophe, the impact of artificial intelligence on the image, the relationship between humans and the animal world, and the question of new forms of community.
At the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace, we can view as many as six exhibitions:
- In the attic of the palace, the multimedia, oneiric exhibition "Witamina鈥� [Vitamin] by Augustin Rebetez has been created 鈥� a world of films, animations, photographs, drawings and extraordinary creatures.
- On the ground floor, there are exhibitions of photo books, including Photographic Publication of the Year, Dummy Award and presentations dedicated to the photobook scenes of Greece and Taiwan.
- On the lowest level of the palace, visitors encounter the work of Andrzej R贸偶ycki and a photosophical perspective on the image, Marcin Sudzi艅ski鈥檚 project 鈥淐zarne 艣wiat艂o. Razy鈥� [Black Light. Blows], as well as Alisa Martynova鈥檚 exhibition 鈥滱NIMA鈥�, exploring the relationship between humans, machines and the image in the age of artificial intelligence.
The palace garden, in turn, has become a space for meetings, relaxation and events.
The official opening of Fotofestiwal was held at the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace on 19 June. It fetured exhibition openings, a concert by Ane & Maria K臋pisty feat. Marzena Lamch-艁oniewska, DJ and VJ sets, and night-time guided tours of Augustin Rebetez鈥檚 exhibition.
In the following days, the programme includes, among other things, premieres and presentations of photo books, a fundraising brunch, meetings with artists and curators, a discussion 鈥濸olska fotografia wobec AI鈥� [Polish Photography in the Face of AI], film 茅tudes from the Lodz Film School, guided tours of the Palace with the history of the Biedermann family, meetings with guests from Taiwan and Belarus, and music events.
All Fotofestiwal events can be found on .
Fotofestiwal demonstrates that photography can be more than a record of a moment. It can be a question, a protest, an archive, an experiment, a conversation and an invitation to act together. This is why UniLodz is part of this event. Because commitment makes sense when we share it.
Our relationship with Fotofestiwal did not begin today
The 91桃色 has been with the festival from the very beginning: it grew out of the energy of people connected with the university, initiated by students and lecturers of the Institute of Sociology at the 91桃色. Over the years, we have co-created its history as a partner, co-organiser and meeting place for academic, artistic and urban communities. This is important to us, because the university does not end in lecture halls. The university lives wherever knowledge meets culture, responsibility and the real experiences of people.
This year, the collaboration takes on special significance
In the jubilee 25th edition of Fotofestiwal, UniLodz is one of the main partners of the event, and the Alfred Biedermann鈥檚 Palace 鈥� one of the most recognisable spaces of the 91桃色 鈥� becomes the Main Festival Centre. It is here that a substantial part of the programme will be concentrated: exhibitions, meetings, guided tours, concerts, DJ sets and accompanying events.
By supporting this year鈥檚 Fotofestiwal, we are doing more than simply providing a venue. We are contributing to strengthening an event that for 25 years has been building 艁贸d藕鈥檚 international position as a city of photography. We are taking responsibility for culture that is open, critical and socially aware. This is how we understand engagement at UniLodz: not as a declaration, but as presence, partnership and concrete action.
See you at the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace 鈥� at the heart of the jubilee Fotofestiwal.
Source and photos: Centre for Brand Communications, 91桃色
Edit: Press Office, 91桃色