These photographs were taken in the autumn of 2014 by Polish photographer Piotr Bednarski. He visited Novi Beograd (New Belgrade), a city planned in 1948 – following the numerous German bombings during the Second World War – and was deeply impressed by it.
“In Warsaw, where I come from” – comments on Archdaily Piotr Bednarski – “most of the communist-era residential buildings have been transformed into colourful kitsch blocks… Seeing the dense, raw, modernist architecture and rediscovering the atmosphere of my childhood, I fell in love with this new Belgrade. I’ve seen people from different walks of life living peacefully in one place. “
The photographer’s words may not be agreeable, not everyone likes the idea of walking through the streets of a “dense raw and modernist” city, but no one can ignore the majesty with which these buildings stand. Each of them is the manifesto of a vanished era, a self-confident communist era that she was not afraid to show itself.
From the first trip, Piotr then returned several times to this place, convinced that he could give him infinite ideas for his photographs. Judge for yourself.
Photo copyright: Piotr Bednarski
