Launched in 2013 by Polish documentary photographer Tomasz Kulbowski, Lublin-based initiative Eastreet brings together remarkable street photography from across Eastern Europe.
TEXT BY LIZA PREMIYAK
Street photography exploded at a time when the world was changing so rapidly that the only way to truly understand what was happening was through a 28mm lens. In 1960s America, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Joel Meyerowitz, Diane Arbus – all busy roaming the streets of New York City – gave us not only iconic images of random, ordinary and intimate moments from daily life, but also brought to light the social and political injustices of the time.
Eastreet is a photo initiative dedicated to exploring the role of street photography in today’s day and age. The project was launched in the eastern Polish city of Lublin in 2013 by local documentary photographers with a specific focus on photography from Eastern Europe. Now in its 4th edition, it brings together remarkable photos of everyday life from across the region, selected by a group of curators and presented in the form of a biannual exhibition and publication. Though Eastreet is committed to showing the diversity and complexity of Eastern Europe, along the way they have also invited photographers from neighbouring southeastern territories, including Greece and Turkey among others. For Kulbowski, the aim has always been to go beyond stereotypes, borders and differences. The moments collected in Eastreet’s book are at times heavy-hearted, and at other times hilariously funny. Yet, in contrast to the too-frequent treatment of non-Western countries, using what can only be described as exoticisation by caricature, they avoid exaggerating the places they represent. If there are any moments that border on the absurd, that is because life is often unpredictable.
Launched in 2013 by Polish documentary photographer Tomasz Kulbowski, Lublin-based initiative Eastreet brings together remarkable street photography from across Eastern Europe.
TEXT BY LIZA PREMIYAK
Street photography exploded at a time when the world was changing so rapidly that the only way to truly understand what was happening was through a 28mm lens. In 1960s America, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Joel Meyerowitz, Diane Arbus – all busy roaming the streets of New York City – gave us not only iconic images of random, ordinary and intimate moments from daily life, but also brought to light the social and political injustices of the time.
Eastreet is a photo initiative dedicated to exploring the role of street photography in today’s day and age. The project was launched in the eastern Polish city of Lublin in 2013 by local documentary photographers with a specific focus on photography from Eastern Europe. Now in its 4th edition, it brings together remarkable photos of everyday life from across the region, selected by a group of curators and presented in the form of a biannual exhibition and publication. Though Eastreet is committed to showing the diversity and complexity of Eastern Europe, along the way they have also invited photographers from neighbouring southeastern territories, including Greece and Turkey among others. For Kulbowski, the aim has always been to go beyond stereotypes, borders and differences. The moments collected in Eastreet’s book are at times heavy-hearted, and at other times hilariously funny. Yet, in contrast to the too-frequent treatment of non-Western countries, using what can only be described as exoticisation by caricature, they avoid exaggerating the places they represent. If there are any moments that border on the absurd, that is because life is often unpredictable.
Launched in 2013 by Polish documentary photographer Tomasz Kulbowski, Lublin-based initiative Eastreet brings together remarkable street photography from across Eastern Europe.
TEXT BY LIZA PREMIYAK
Street photography exploded at a time when the world was changing so rapidly that the only way to truly understand what was happening was through a 28mm lens. In 1960s America, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Joel Meyerowitz, Diane Arbus – all busy roaming the streets of New York City – gave us not only iconic images of random, ordinary and intimate moments from daily life, but also brought to light the social and political injustices of the time.
Eastreet is a photo initiative dedicated to exploring the role of street photography in today’s day and age. The project was launched in the eastern Polish city of Lublin in 2013 by local documentary photographers with a specific focus on photography from Eastern Europe. Now in its 4th edition, it brings together remarkable photos of everyday life from across the region, selected by a group of curators and presented in the form of a biannual exhibition and publication. Though Eastreet is committed to showing the diversity and complexity of Eastern Europe, along the way they have also invited photographers from neighbouring southeastern territories, including Greece and Turkey among others. For Kulbowski, the aim has always been to go beyond stereotypes, borders and differences. The moments collected in Eastreet’s book are at times heavy-hearted, and at other times hilariously funny. Yet, in contrast to the too-frequent treatment of non-Western countries, using what can only be described as exoticisation by caricature, they avoid exaggerating the places they represent. If there are any moments that border on the absurd, that is because life is often unpredictable.
POSITOPIA
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is a large format international biannual magazine from Istanbul. Focusing on arts, culture and society, each issue tackles various universal subjects within a distinct theme.
Address
Mim Kemal Öke Cad. No.6 D.6 Nişantaşı, Şişli, İstanbul, Turkey
+90 212 232 4288
contact@212magazine.com
POSITOPIA
17
OUT NOW
is a large format international biannual magazine from Istanbul. Focusing on arts, culture and society, each issue tackles various universal subjects within a distinct theme.
Address
Mim Kemal Öke Cad. No.6 D.6 Nişantaşı, Şişli, İstanbul, Turkey
+90 212 232 4288
contact@212magazine.com
POSITOPIA
17
OUT NOW
is a large format international biannual magazine from Istanbul. Focusing on arts, culture and society, each issue tackles various universal subjects within a distinct theme.
Address
Mim Kemal Öke Cad. No.6 D.6 Nişantaşı, Şişli, İstanbul, Turkey
+90 212 232 4288
contact@212magazine.com