Mariusz Smiejek
BIO
Freelance documentary and portrait photographer specializing in the raw narrative of human and social conditions. Noted documentary work explores post conflict communities, refugee and asylum seekers, child slavery, street children, human trafficking, victimized women, dangerous livelihoods, corruption and systemic abuse. Harnessing a total immersion approach, the camera becomes an unadulterated and impartial window between the subject and the audience. Possesses the ability to navigate fragile and volatile contexts, and infrastructures with ease, including informal migrant encampments, remote West African villages, and urban uprisings.
Clients include DPA - Deutsche Presse Agentur, Politico, Die Welt, Le Temps, Gazeta Wyborcza and Wydawnictwo Czarne.
Also, some of his pictures were published in The New York Times, National Geographic, Der Spiegel, The British Journal of Photography, Time, BBC, Politico, Boston Review, Die Welt, Le Temps, Black+White Photography, The National, De Volkskrant, DR, Vision Project, Duzy Format, Wysokie Obcasy, Open Democracy, FotoEvidence among many others.
Additionally, he work as a commercial and editorial photographer and a photography tutor in United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Ghana.
Honors & Awards
2020 - National Geographic Magazine Award, Poland, first prize in category: Human and water
2019 - Art Council of Northern Ireland & The National Lottery Travel Award
2019 - Monovision Photography Award, honourable mention in category: Portrait, series - London, UK
2018 - Grand Press Photo, Poland - second prize in category: Daily life, series
2018 - Grand Press Photo, Poland - shortlisted in category: Portrait
2017 - Grand Press Photo, Poland - second prize in category: People, series
2016 - The Other Hundred project - Educators - UK winner, Hong Kong, China
2015 - National Geographic Magazine Award, Poland - special mention in category: Street photography
2014 - Northern Ireland story were Honourable Mentioned by Magnum Photos agency in photo competition in Fotofestiwal Lódz, Poland
2013 - Two pictures were commanded in Sony World Photography Awards competition, London, UK
2012 - A series of pictures were Honourable Mentioned in International Photography Award in Los Angeles, USA
2012 - The series of pictures from Northern Ireland won first prize in the Polish edition of National Geographic competition in the reportage category
2011 - Second prize in National Geographic UK & Ireland International Photography Contest
Exhibitions
Solo
2019 - "Dream Slaves" - Alliance Française d'Accra, Ghana
2019 - "Dream Slaves" Festival - Incontro tra i popoli, Milan, Italy
2018 - "Dream Slaves" 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Bergamo, Italy
2018 - "Dream Slaves" Fa La Cosa Giusta - Palermo, Italy
2018 - The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, John Hewitt International Summer School, Armagh, UK
2016 - Opportunity Art Gallery, Shankill rd, Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
2015 - Crescent Arts Centre Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
2014/02 - Edgerton Performing Arts Center Gallery Fairfield, SH University, Connecticut, USA
2014/06 - Edgerton Performing Arts Center Gallery Fairfield, SH University, Connecticut, USA
Group
2019 - "Dream Slaves" Fa La Cosa Giusta - Milan, Italy
2018 - Grand Press Photo exhibition in several cities in Poland
2018 - Portraits, Sisters, The Andrews Gallery at Titanic Museum, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
2018 - Portraits, Women of The Peninsula, Georgian Gallery, Ards Arts Center, Northern Ireland, UK
2017 - Grand Press Photo exhibition in 16 main cities in Poland
2017 - The Other Hundred - photo book exhibition, Educators, Hong Kong.
2015 - National Geographic Magazine contest exhibition in a several cities in Poland
2013 - Somerset House London, UK - Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition
2012 - National Geographic Magazine contest exhibition, Poznan, Warsaw, Rybnik, Krakow, Gdansk - Poland.
