It was exactly this sight that moved me so deeply that it was difficult to gather my thoughts and capture them in words during my Exhibition opening Mindfulness (by the Tree) in Nysa.
I knew the room was filling up and that more chairs were being brought in (thank you for the help). Yet it was only when the official part of the opening began — when the museum director Edward Hałajko welcomed the guests, and the curator of the exhibition Adriana Zalewska-Wąsowicz spoke about my artistic path and said a few touching words about me — and when I stood up to give my speech (already with tears in my eyes) and turned toward the audience… that I saw it.
I did not expect this sight: people were standing and could not fit into the (quite large) Room 104 of the Powiatowe Muzeum in Nysa.
They were present — and it is exactly this presence that matters here.
I saw faces I had not seen for a long time, friends and people I had not yet met. I saw people who had travelled quite a few kilometres to be there. Family, friends, loved ones.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming.
It is especially important to me also because the theme of this exhibition concerns something very simple and at the same time very necessary — mindfulness and its influence on our well-being.
The official part of the opening was enriched by a concert by Agni Kruszewska (Whispers of Crystals) played on crystal singing bowls. The sound introduced the audience into a calm and reflective atmosphere.
This moment of quietness was very symbolic. This conscious pause is exactly what the whole project is about.
Mindfulness in Nature: Finding Inspiration in a Single Tree
During my speech I explained — well …or at least tried to explain — how it happened that one particular tree became my inspiration. A photograph from the first walk when I encountered the tree appears as the background image on the exhibition poster.
I spoke about how, regardless of the weather or the season, I directed my steps, my lens, my curiosity and my attention toward its branches, fruits and blossoms. I watched the light building the scene, the fanciful drawings of frost, rain, or the restless sun.
With time I discovered that it was not only about photography.
It was also a practice of mindfulness — but also of wonder and gratitude — for being able to be here and to be part of something so beautiful.
This whole process had a very positive effect — and still has — on my well-being. And perhaps through my photographs it will inspire others to practise mindfulness. This is my wish and my intention.
My works are, of course, records of nature’s creations, but they are also a symbol — a symbol of mindfulness beyond their aesthetic, decorative or collectible value. When I look at these photographs, I do not see branches and blossoms. I see the goodness flowing from that moment.
I would like viewers to be able to pause for a moment.
To remember what is good and important for them.
To take a breath — and draw strength from nature and from mindfulness.
And then — with renewed strength — return to everyday life, having at hand a tool called mindfulness.
Mindfulness for wonder and beauty is always available. It does not require knowledge or special techniques. It does not require preparation. We cannot harm ourselves with it. All it takes is a moment — truly just a few seconds.
And what is important — it can be learned.
There were so many good emotions gathered that I wished to share them through my photographs.
Exhibition opening Mindfulness (by the Tree) in Nysa in numbers
At the exhibition one can see 20 photographs in a larger format from a limited, certified collector’s edition. Each work is hand-signed and embossed with the artist’s dry stamp.
The exhibition is complemented by four works from my new project “Embroidered Light.” In these photographs I manually emphasize the light with shimmering thread.
Light is for me a symbol of goodness.
Hope. Meaning. A path.
At the end I quoted a few sentences that best express the meaning of this project and which I would like visitors to take with them after seeing the exhibition:
Marcus Aurelius:
“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.”
Vincent van Gogh:
“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”
The poet Mary Oliver:
“The instruction for living a life is simple: pay attention, be astonished, and tell about it.”
Thank You to Our Media Patrons for Supporting “Mindfulness by the Tree”
Finally, I would like to sincerely thank all the media patrons who supported the exhibition “Mindfulness (by the Tree)” and helped share this project with a wide audience.
Your support and presence have been invaluable on this journey through mindfulness, nature, and the everyday beauty we can all discover.
During the opening, I also had the honour of receiving the exhibition certificate for “Mindfulness by the Tree” from the director of Muzeum Powiatowe w Nysie, Edward Hałajko. It was a very meaningful and symbolic moment for me.
I try to weave a story with my photographs and I believe that exhibitions are the beginning of a conversation, not its conclusion, and… “the world is where you choose to stop.”
If you happen to be in Nysa in the coming weeks, I warmly invite you to visit the Muzeum Powiatowe in Nysa.
The exhibition “Mindfulness (by the Tree)” can be viewed until 3 May 2026.
See you at the exhibition at Muzeum Powiatowe in Nysa!
Muzeum Powiatowe w Nysie, 48-300 Nysa, ul. Biskupa Jarosława 11 – http://www.muzeum.nysa.pl/
Opening: 13/03/2026, 18.00
Exhibition on view: 13/03/2026 – 03/05/2026
Curator: Adriana Zalewska-Wąsowicz
Live concert during the opening: Agni Kruszewska @WhisperOfCrystals
