The Anonymous Passer-by, a photo from Dolnoslaskie, West

Photographer's Note

The Anonymous Passer-by

Just outside the old town of Wrocław, we found a really remarkable monument, called Monument to the Anonymous Passerby (also known as The Passage or Przejście in Polish), which is located on two opposite street corners. On one corner, the sculptures, all depicting ordinary citizens, sink into the pavement, on the other corner they re-emerge from the pavement again (see picture in WS). It was created by Jerzy Kalina and commemorates the citizens who went missing or were killed during the period of martial law in Poland in the 1980s.

Exif Data:
Make: SONY
Model: DSC-HX400V
Software: PaintShop Pro 16,00
Exposure Time: 1/50 sec
F-Stop: f/3.2
ISO Speed Ratings: 80
Focal Length: 659/100 mm
Date Taken: 2020-07-29 20:04
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
File Size: 2203 k

jhm, PaulVDV, pierrefonds, jimmyjimmy, COSTANTINO, holmertz, ikeharel, jean113, NickVu, ChrisJ, worldcitizen, clic, ktanska, alvaraalto, adramad, mcmtanyel has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jhm (211734) 2021-01-12 10:42

Goedenavond Lars,

Volgen ik kan zien zijn het in brons gegoten beelden.
Ik moet er onmiddellijk aan toevoegen prachtig gemaakt van de kunstenaar.
Uw foto is eveneens van goede kwaliteit.
Polen had nog geen mond masker zo te zien voor het publiek in de straat.
Heel mooi foto werk, bedankt.

Groeten uit Oost-Vlaanderen,
John

PaulVDV (62802) 2021-01-12 11:04

Hallo Lars,
Dat is dan het Poolse advies om veilig de straat over te steken. Gewoon eventjes door de grond zakken, ondergronds de straat oversteken en er aan de overkant opnieuw uitkomen :)
Een heel opmerkelijk kunstwerk en zeer goed bedacht.
Heb je na het nemen van deze foto nog naar de plaats gekeken waar je eerder op het voetpad stond? Begonnen de tegels reeds te barsten? Of heb je de foto misschien heel erg snel genomen?
Vele groeten, Paul

jmdias (114262) 2021-01-12 11:06

lars

yes, in those dictatorial regimes it is easy people be erased. a nice and creative monument showing as the people who were removed by politic came back by the magic of the art.

take care

jorge

pajaran (114891) 2021-01-12 11:38

Pozdrav.
Interesantne i lepe skulpture, dobro pokazane sa lepim bojama, kontrastom, lerspektivom i dobrim tekstom.
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici.
lepa fotografije i spomenik.
Dobar tekst o korsicenoj tesnici i elementima snimka.
Zelim vam uspeh, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Royaldevon (85606) 2021-01-12 11:56

Hello Lars,

This is a remarkable monument, created from this group of of statues, in memory of the disappearance of many citizens during the martial law!
No-one could fail to notice statues or be moved by the implication of what they represent.

You have taken two excellent, complementary photographs, where the details are pin-sharp and allow viewers to carefully scrutinise the details.

My warm regards,
Bev 😊

mkamionka (73344) 2021-01-12 12:40

Hi Lars,
I don't recall seeing this monument myself. I wonder if it s a new one in town together with the dwarfs.
It feels very touching, I am not sure how the idea of disappearance of passersby in the pavement correlates with the people killed during the martial law. Either way the effect is great. I am glad you included also the other end of the monument.
I certainly need to see it next time in Wroclaw,
great reportage,
M

kasianowak (17672) 2021-01-12 14:58

Hi Lars
Another place I know very well but I also discovered this sculpture as a traveller, because it was created after I had left Poland to live in the UK.
What I really like in your photo is the contrast between the sunlit background with people wearing summer clothes and this gloomy reminder of the not so distant past remaining in the shade.
Best wishes
Kasia

pierrefonds (113572) 2021-01-12 15:18

Hi Lars,

The red sign for the pedestrians is eyecatching. The point of view is showing the details of the sculptures. It is clear and sharp. Have a nice day.

Pierre

jimmyjimmy (6164) 2021-01-12 18:53

Hello Lars

I would really like to see this in person. A very interesting work of art I must say. Nice capture and note to make sense of what I was seeing. well done.

jimmy

vjmite (6514) 2021-01-12 21:16

Hi Lars,
This is an eye-catching sculpture, cleverly merging with the bricks of the pavement. Good sharpness and composition. The upper part of the photo is overexposed, but that does not draw our attention away from the main subject.
Vince

Silvio1953 (220577) 2021-01-12 22:15

Ciao Lars, great view of original istallation with beautiful statues, fine details. wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

jemaflor (146274) 2021-01-12 23:25

Hi Lars,
Impressive artwork, original and well made by artists, well photographed, perfect rendering, tfs.

COSTANTINO (115515) 2021-01-12 23:25

Hello dear Lars and have a nice day
and a pleasant time...
the anonymous passer by...
original version perfectly
executed just outside
the old town of wroclav
...nice inspiration of the
artist who created this
piece of art,a really
remarkable monument
well done
regards
Costantino

holmertz (101980) 2021-01-13 0:19

Hej Lars,
Den h酺 fascinerande skulpturgruppen minns jag v鄟, men jag har inte lagt ut n嶓ra egna bilder h酺ifr幩. H酺 finns s� m幩ga intressanta detaljer som kr銥er uppm酺ksamhet s� att de 饘erexponerade delarna upptill knappt m酺ks. En v鄟digt sn銥 besk酺ningar hade v鄟 i och f顤 sig varit m鐱lig, men inte n鐰v鄚dig. I det h酺 fallet var d酺emot en WS fr幩 andra sidan helt n鐰v鄚dig.
H鄟sningar,
Gert

lousat (138599) 2021-01-13 1:14

Hi Lars,a very interesting post that celebrates with this series of statues, the last dramatic moment of the difficult Polish history. The way of representing the disappearance of people is truly brilliant, two excellent photos that show and make the thing understood in the best way. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

jean113 (27637) 2021-01-13 3:28

Hello Lars, two fantastic shots of this monument to the memory of the citizens who went missing or who were killed.
Once seen, this artwork cannot be forgotten, such a powerful piece.
The artistry of the sculptures is astonishing, their clothing looks so real.
Is there any information close by to tell people what it is all about?
Excellent presentation.
Kind regards, Jean.

ChrisJ (171220) 2021-01-13 4:23

Hallo Lars,

I was very impressed by these quirky statues and took several shots of my own. Good sharpness and well framed and composed with excellent shadow detail. Tfs!

worldcitizen (15956) 2021-01-13 13:36

Hello Lars,
This is a very striking monument, and it conveys the gravity of the missing or dead citizens very well. I've never seen something quite like this before. Even the baby carriage is beginning to tilt towards the ground. Thanks for showing us this remarkable work of art. Take care!

clic (76) 2021-01-13 16:25

Dag Lars
What an astonishing gathering of walking deads going back to Hell at sunrise!
Excellent depiction of those zombies for informative details of their clothing
Tot ziens

emka (157280) 2021-01-14 11:15

Hello Lars, This monument in Wrocław in perhaps the most famous and impressive of this kind. Excellent presetation.

Best regrads MAlgo

ktanska (44464) 2021-01-15 9:47

Hi Lars,
It is a very special monument appearing on two separate street corners. And certainly remarkable, remembering the role of Poland in the fall of communism, and especially ordinary working people there.
Kari

alvaraalto (42804) 2021-01-19 3:35

Dag Lars,
Deze merkwaardige, fascinerende beeldengroep heb ik ook nog op mijn lijstje staan.
Ik denk dat ik wel een mooie aanvulling kan maken op jouw prachtige impressie van deze bijzondere manier om de straat over te steken (onder te steken?)
Groet Rob

adramad (72558) 2021-01-19 10:42

Hi Lars.
The symbolism of such a sad event could not have been better expressed by the artist, both sculptural groups are fantastic, although their effect is impressive when thinking about the disappeared, although it is sweet to think of some who have appeared.
Very good color that increases the attractiveness of the image.
Superb brightness and sharpness management to enjoy the details.
Well seen and done. I like it.
You have a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis.

mcmtanyel (67635) 2021-10-08 20:38

Hello Lars,
Aha, the pedestrians are tunneling through the street! Who needs pedestrian crossings when they have magical powers?
Regards,
MT