Mateusz Kowalik

"Devil's Rib" tells of the radical but inspiring choice some people make to live in the wildness. Mateusz Kowalik, through a very curated selection of images, takes us to this longed-for territory as well as revealing its flip side. Modern hermits that voluntarily decide to escape the frantic rhythm of their daily urban lives and dwell in nature, with its beauties and difficulties. Mateusz documents, in his native Poland, a world where nothing is taken for granted. Apparently idyllic, the imperfect landscapes and the people we meet succeed in depicting at the same time strength and vulnerability, tension and calmness, with brief texts offering further insight into this alternative lifestyle choice.The natural world and the resilient lives portrayed are in harmony with the values that the Star Photobook Dummy Award wants to celebrate.