Izabela Szczutkowska

Bio

Izabela Szczutkowska (b.1984) is a lens based artist working with analogue photography, collage, darkroom printing and processes. Originally from Wrocław, Poland and currently based in Cork, Izabela’s practice has always revolved around the ontological question of photography as well as auto-biographical elements such as concept of home and identity. Being interested in testing the limits of what freedom means in engagement with the apparatuses of photography, her research is primarily led by a continuous inquiry rather than a search for the answers. Izabela also works in a close relationship with the Irish music scene, collaborating on band shots, music videos and album artworks.

Izabela holds BA(Hons) degree in Photography with First Honours from Technological University Dublin and is currently undertaking Masters degree with ARC at Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT). She is a graduate of both, Photographic Studies and TV and Film Production courses from St. John’s Central College, Cork.

Winner of the Gallery of Photography Graduate Student Award 2020 and finalist of the Inspirational Arts Award 2020, TU Dublin Medal Best Student Award.

Co-ordinator of Darkroom at the Backwaters Artists Group.

Recent projects

Siar, meaning west in Irish, concerns the idea of choice.  Not the consequence of choice, but the very moment of making it, a continuous culmination of an uncertain agency. Through the process-led exploration of two main motifs present in this project – a human body and a stone – I examine intersections between what may be thought of as the internal and external, dependent and independent. She has developed an intuitive methodology where she tears out parts of photographic prints. The texture of the torn paper indicates scarring, a suggestion of what it has been.

Let’s Take the Wrong Way Home began with an inquiry into the idea of how technology allows us to see at any time the places that we have never been to before. I thought about my late father Zbigniew who has never been to Ireland as he was afraid of flying. Being a frequent user of Google Street View however, he was very familiar with the place of my residency. ‘LTTWWH’ grew into a collection of b&w and color photomontage works. Using the GSV imagery, I photograph places of a personal significance in my hometown of Wrocław. The resulting images I combine with my own archival photographs depicting Irish natural landscape.

Both sets are printed in the darkroom. Merging collages are photographed again. By montaging image fragments into a new image form my intent is to unify distant places that I call home.

Email izaszczutkowska@gmail.com

Instagram @izzymondays

Website izabelaszczutkowska.com

Membership: Darkroom