WarSaw or WarSee – Photography – The Art of Seeing
War (WW-II) saw to it that Warsaw was decimated. 80% buildings were destroyed by the aggressors.
But, remarkably, the Poles have rebuilt the city on its ruins and modelled it on the pre-war architecture. Result: you can still see the old town that was almost completely destroyed. This prompts me to call this resilient city WarSee.
As travel photographers, it becomes our responsibility to fine-tune our eye and develop what we call in photography – the art of seeing. My attempt, here, is to illustrate just that.
The old town is dotted by small memorials associated with WW-II. A gentle, yet horrific reminder of the War. And while moving about, these details must not be missed.
This gives the city a unique flavor – especially the Old Town. The basements are visibly old. But the aboveground structures, despite their pre-war architecture, are modern.
This nightmare has done little to the happy-go-lucky spirit attributed to the Poles. While acknowledging this gory past, they remain as brimming with life as ever. Such cultural imprint is what brings a city or a town alive for your viewers.
In acknowledgement of this near-perfect reconstruction, UNESCO accorded the Old Town the World Heritage status in 1980. You can rightfully say that here’s a phoenix that rose remarkably well from its ashes!
(See this bronze cast image above? Such little nuggets lie sprinkled inconspicuously in the destination you visit. And these need to be unearthed. This, in effect, is what we call in photography – the art of seeing!).
Reblogged this on Travelure's Travelogues.