The exhibition of Marjan Fuks‘s photography is related to the approaching 100 anniversary of independence by Poland. In 1910 Fuks founded a private photographic agency, which provided the main Polish and foreign press agencies with photographs.

The curator and the person behind the concept of the exhibition is Krzysztof Wójcik, the photographer and co-founder of FORUM Polish Photography Agency. His encounter with Marjan Fuks was initiated by a photograph of a man in dark glasses and a hat, with a large plate saying: ‘Marjan Fuks is taking the photograph’. As I have been working in a photo agency for years, I decided to find out who that person was. With time the search revealed an intricate personality, reminisces the curator.

Marjan Fuks‘s photographs are of great documentary value. Fuks covered the main political and social events of the three opening decades of the 20th century. In his portfolio he has iconic photographs which have gone down in history, such as a photo of Józef Piłsudski on Poniatowski Bridge during the May Coup d’État. He captured interwar Poland as well so that we can see how the city has changed.

Fuks covered great scandals too. He reported on high-profile lawsuits and everyday criminal events. His distant relative, Marian Fuks, said, He sometimes verged on sham with his desire to shock. He was a bit romantic, a bit of a visionary, but also a businessman.

Above all he was a photographer who understood the complexity of the profession. To commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of his photographic agency he published a leaflet ‘The dawn of photojournalism in Poland’, where he described theoretical principles of press photography. His insights seem to be working today: Press photography requires unconditionally the ability to capture the scenes in which there is something original, and a bit of humour, a lot of sentiment, and above all the love for the profession. Without this love, if one pays attention to the bill and whether a photograph is worth taking or not, good results of press photography cannot be even imagined.

The photographs presented in the exhibition are group photographs and portraits taken in Fuks‘s atelier, materials and photographs linked with the agency activities and the press of that time. There are also materials related to the politics and history of Poland, and everyday social life in the interwar period, especially in Warsaw. We will see the cameras from the bygone era, postcards published by Fuks, newspapers, albums, and original photographs as well.