Kowalik – Devil’s rib

Winner of the second edition of the Star Photobook Dummy Award.

Devil’s Rib tells of the radical but inspiring choice some people make to live in the wild. Modern hermits that voluntarily decide to escape the frantic rhythm of our daily urban lives and dwell in nature, with its beauties and difficulties. Mateusz Kowalik 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.