Honorary patronage
President of the Republic of Poland – Bronisław Komorowski
and Patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
SUMMARY of FAF 2011
We showed 21 exhibitions of individual outstanding artists from 21 countries of the world (North America, South America, Middle America, Europe, Middle East). Approximately 20,000 people watched the exhibitions.
The most important days were meetings with artists, namely the Author’s Marathon – discussions, presentations, films and shows. 20 artists from around the world and around 600 spectators attended the Marathon.
As a result of the Portfolio Review (30 authors, 600 photographs) and FotoOpen exhibitions (70 authors, 210 photographs), we selected several individual exhibition authors, which will be organized in the B & B Photography Gallery in Bielsko-Biała on the agreed date.
Many people (40 photographers in total) trained their skills during interesting photo workshops.
A review of photocasts of several outstanding Polish photographers has allowed a new, contemporary look at photography.
The festival met with great kindness of nationwide and global media. Several television appearances, many radio interviews and several dozen press and internet reports.
We invite you to the next edition of the festival and thank you sponsors and patrons for your support, partners – for cooperation and for viewers – for a wonderful presence.
We are also grateful to volunteers (about 60 people) who helped us bravely in difficult organizational work.
“I want to thank you so very, very much for inviting me to show and talk about the work of photographers who have been awarded Alexia grants. This is a very special photographic event and very unique. You did a tremendous job of selecting artists who represent such diverse work and visions. That what made this event so great. Again thank you. – James Doley”
“Thank you. Your work and devotion are extraordinary! Thank you for all you`ve done. – Ron van Dongen”
“Great memories from Bielsko, thank you for the unforgettable time, and for the prefect organisation of the festival. – Nir Kafri”
“Thank you again for inviting me to the Festival. It was really a great thing , well organised and something with soul. Other photographers told me, that they‘ve had a same experience. I met some wonderful people and made some new friends. Hope to go back again to Bielsko-Biała. – Bela Doka”
“Hospitality of festival organisers towards guests was wonderful. Inez Baturo, the festival director, was visiting social events to discuss privately with festival guests. One of the dinners, I was very lucky — white&red vine glasses suddenly appeared on my table – like a double vision -:))) GREAT event, with wonderful atmosphere and hospitality. Around 20 shows, all the big names. CONGRATULATIONS, such a wonderful time, thanks a lot !!!! – Lucia Benicka”
“I have no words to thank to you for that wonderful experience!. All the best for you and your great team!! Thanks to Bielsko! – Morfi Jimenez Mercado”
“It was a honor for me to be there. I meet wonderful artist there from all over the world. – Wasif Munem”
“I just want to tell you that my experience in Bielsko-Biala and in Krakow was something wonderful for me. I feel so close to your culture and that it´s an strange and amazing emotion. For me the festival was great, I meet some wonderful persons and see the work of very good artists. – Luis Gonzalez Palma”
“On our part, as usual, we congratulate the event, we admire the effort and consistency in the implementation of this venture. We see how beautiful the Festival is, how unprecedented it is, especially among young people, popularizing photography among recipients who probably, if not the Festival, never they would not be interested in photography, we bow our heads and ask for more … “- Iza, Roman and Kasia
“For me, this Festival is a kind of antidote to reality, a chance to talk to valuable people and a chance to talk to each other (what’s really happening in life ????. I’m closer now! Thanks !!!!” – Magda
“I would like to thank you very much for the 4th FAF, the opportunity to get closer to the artists that I can only follow on a daily basis, these are unusual people, above all very modest, which is very rare these days.” Their work is unique. ” – Anna
“Once again, thank you for the opportunity to participate in all parts of the festival.” In my opinion, the Marathon was much more interesting than the exhibitions.It was influenced by many factors: from perfect running (especially on the first day), through the selection of diverse artists, able to snatch the audience, through excellent photographs and finally, to look after such elements as a perfect projector and a cafeteria that allows us to use the Maraton without interruption, I appreciate the professionalism and personality of the photographers, but in my opinion the most interesting meetings were the presentations of two artists who treated photography as a creative way of their artistic creations. This does not diminish the value of their perfect photography, but emphasizes the intangibility of the border between art in the form of creative conceptual installations, with the perfection of showing them in the form of images in photographs.
Big congratulations to you Baturo for participation in the Begonia Montalban Marathon and Luis Gonzales Palma. In my opinion, these were the most interesting, and perhaps the most valuable, two meetings, allowing participants to move to a completely new level of perception. The message was complemented by his form of narrative. A narrative of the same horizontal artistry, and maybe even higher than their works in terms of content content concepts and the beauty of language. This very sound message alone deserves the use of the word Art in the title of the festival. Translators deserve special recognition, but the lack of scale does not allow the interpreter accompanying the artists to be assessed from the first to the last meeting. “- Witold
