Forty years ago, an escape into the Polish wilderness usually meant you were an outlaw, a dissident of the communist regime, or an adventurer. Today, the fatigue of modern life and fears of humanity’s collapse push humans to live life closer to nature. Lifestyle diseases might soon wake up this primal call of nature on a broad scale, which will push people again towards the wilderness. A lifestyle including elements of the primal has a positive influence on our well-being. However, living close to nature is not a recipe for happiness. The body and soul also need solid relief there, as each of us is sometimes tempted by the darkness, regardless of the latitude. The difference is that instead of drinking a whiskey from a supermarket, you take a bath in an infusion made of a devil’s rib plant collected in a nearby forest. Mateusz Kowalik’s photographs were presented during the twenty-first edition of Fotofestiwal. More information: www.fotofestiwal.com.
