exhibition

Foam 3h: Karolina Wojtas
We can't live – without each other

The exhibition We can't live – without each other gives an intimate view into the complex relationship between artist Karolina Wojtas and her younger brother. Until the age of thirteen, Wojtas was an only child and she wanted it to keep it that way. Before her parents announced that she was going to have a baby brother, Karolina kept saying “I will take an axe and kill that kid and then eat it”. Although this statement should be taken with a big grain of salt, a battle did start when Karolina's brother was born. This exhibition gives an inside view into the ongoing battle between brother and sister: a recognisable love-hate relationship with sometimes extreme elements.

About the series

The observer to the work of Karolina Wojtas becomes immersed in a children's world; it is colourful, playful and expressive, sometimes with a grim edge. The 25-year-old Polish photographer gets her inspiration from random objects or childhood memories: from her grandfather's backyard to an enormous slide. The result consists of striking images with a bold aesthetic. Her work invites the viewer to participate and discover, where the visitor can feel like a child again. Sometimes combined with dark humour, the exhibition of Wojtas creates a (sur)realistic experience.

We can't live – without each other, 2019 © Karolina Wojtas, courtesy of the artist.
We can't live – without each other, 2019 © Karolina Wojtas, courtesy of the artist.
We can't live – without each other, 2019 © Karolina Wojtas, courtesy of the artist.
We can't live – without each other, 2019 © Karolina Wojtas, courtesy of the artist.

watch the video

Karolina Wojtas Film Still
4:38

In the video, Karolina Wojtas tells us more about how she started the series and where she draws inspiration from. In addition, she also explains how certain images were made and why the exhibition is set-up in its unique format.

About Karoline Wojtas

Karolina Wojtas was born in Jaroslaw, Poland. She studied at the Institute of Creative Photography in the Czech Republic and holds a Masters degree from Film School Lodź, Poland. In 2019, when she was only 22, she won the ING Unseen Talent Award. Most recently she had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Poland. Her photography was part of several group presentation such as Noorderlicht International Photo Festival 2020 and reGeneration4 The Challenges of Photography and its Museum at Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland. Karolina Wojtas is represented by Vasli Souza in Oslo.

Winner of the Florentine Riem Vis Grant

Karolina Wojtas (1996, PL) is the fifth recipient of the Florentine Riem Vis Grant, which was established in memory of Florentine Riem Vis (1959-2016). The grant is awarded annually with the goal of supporting upcoming photographic talent in the development of their artistic career.

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The exhibition is made possible by the Van Bijlevelt Foundation and the Leeuwensteinstichting.

Foam is supported by the VriendenLoterij, Foam Members, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, the VandenEnde Foundation and Gemeente Amsterdam.

We can't live – without each other 2019 karolina wojtas

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Foam 3h: Karolina Wojtas
We can't live – without each other