Student Photography Groups at Nicolaus Copernicus University (1961–1981) | The Art of Photography | Lecture

Since the 1950s, artistic photography has become a popular medium embraced by both established artists and students of the visual arts. In the early 1960s, several artistic groups were active at the University of Toruń, each exploring in their own way the possibilities that photography offered at the time. The best-known and most frequently discussed group is, of course, Zero-61. It had a distinctly avant-garde profile. The artistic activities of the “Zero-61” members became one of the milestones in the development of photographic art in Poland.

In a sense, the Rytm group was formed in opposition to Zero-61. The work of its members was dominated by a more traditional approach to the medium of photography. In later years, the groups Oko and Krąg also emerged.

Student art groups active in the field of photography will be the topic of the November meeting in the “Art of Photography” series. This time, Stanisław Jasiński will discuss a history in which he himself played a part.

A new lecture series, “(Un)forgotten Toruń Photographers Since 1945”, aims to rescue from oblivion those who laid the foundations of local visual culture. Although only eight decades have passed since their postwar debuts, knowledge about the leaders of photography groups and societies is beginning to fade, and errors are appearing in numerous studies.

The lecture will be led by Stanisław Jasiński—a photographer, photography instructor, and member of the Association of Polish Art Photographers. He is an expert on the history of photography and a collector of vintage cameras and other artifacts related to this art form.