Living in Sobótka for 20 years, I never felt fascinated by the place I came from. Only after moving away, feeling homesick, did I start returning with a new perspective. Already in my first year of studies, eight years ago, I began an intense visual exploration of Mount Ślęża, collecting archives of my presence and emotions associated with it. Ślęża, like many places shrouded in mystery, became a temptation for creating dreams, legends, or stories that seem more or less plausible. Mixing fact with fiction, I also created my own tale—a tale in which we wander through two hills, Radunia and Wieżyca, before finally reaching Ślęża. Along the way, we can sit by a campfire to immerse ourselves in the mountain’s gentle whisper, push through misty forests, get a little lost, and finally, find peace—just sit and watch.

Magda Pacek
Born in 1994 in Wrocław. Originally from Sobótka. A graduate of bachelor’s and master’s studies at the University of the Arts in Poznań. She perceives photography as a multidimensional medium, creating photographic objects, videos, and installations. She often refers to nature and, in its context, reflects on the condition of contemporary humans. Additionally, she contemplates the medium of photography itself, exploring its meanings and delving into the concept of the image. Her work can be described as meta-artistic, as it focuses on creating meta-images. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Poland and abroad, including in Berlin, Vienna, Bratislava, and Ljubljana. She held her solo exhibition Obraz odtajniony at Pawilon in Poznań and was a laureate at the TIFF 2023 Photography Biennale in Wrocław.