Archeology of Photography Foundation

The Archeology of Photography Foundation (Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii, FAF) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2008 in Warsaw, Poland. Its primary mission is the protection, preservation, documentation and dissemination of the legacies of Polish photographers. The foundation manages archives of significant Polish photographers including Zbigniew Dłubak, Zofia Chomętowska, Maria Chrząszczowa, Janusz Bąkowski, Wojciech Zamecznik and Tadeusz Sumiński. It organizes exhibitions, initiates research and scholarly projects, and publishes books and catalogues. FAF's activities span archival work, curatorial projects, and publishing. Notable projects include "Długie życie fotografii" (The Long Life of Photography, 2015–2016), realized in collaboration with Norwegian institutions, Polish artists, and a group of conservators, archivists and curators, and "Żywe archiwa" (Living Archives), a long-term project running since 2011 in which contemporary artists enter into dialogue with photographs from collections being processed by FAF or other archival collections. The foundation has organized numerous exhibitions in Poland and abroad, including at the National Gallery of Art Zachęta in Warsaw, the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne, the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, and the National Historical Museum in Minsk. FAF also runs a publishing program. Selected publications include the four-volume "Zofia Chomętowska. Albumy fotografki" (2016, co-published with the Museum of Warsaw), "Jakub Certowicz. Inwentarz" (2016), "Aneta Grzeszykowska. Bez tytułu" (2016), "Wojciech Zamecznik. Foto-graficznie" (2016), "Lux" (2016), "Dorota Buczkowska. Rok w sanatorium" (2016), "Emulsja" (2015), Clément Chéroux's "Wernakularne. Eseje z historii fotografii" (2014), "Tadeusz Sumiński. Industrial" (2014), Karolina Ziębińska-Lewandowska's "Między dokumentalnością a eksperymentem" (2014), "Fotografia – narracje muzealne" (2013), "Zofia Chomętowska, Polska w podróży" (2013), "Teoria sztuki Zbigniewa Dłubaka" (2013), "Zbigniew Dłubak. Body structures" (2013), and Zofia Rydet's "Mały człowiek" (2012). The foundation has received several awards, including the Fotograficzna publikacja roku 2017 (Photographic Publication of the Year 2017) for "Albumy fotografki", the Paris Photo Aperture Foundation Photobook Award 2016 for the Wojciech Zamecznik catalogue, and an award from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2013. In 2026, FAF became a permanent partner of "Kwartalnik Fotografia", a quarterly magazine that has been contributing to the discourse on photography since 2000. In April 2026, FAF initiated a collaboration with DailyArt, an international art education app, to expand its reach and integrate photography into the international art circuit. The foundation also hosts a Discussion Photography Club, with events such as a meeting with photographer Lucjan Demidowski in September 2026, and organizes exhibitions such as "W płynie" (In Liquid) at ul. Chłodna 20 in Warsaw from 17 September to 29 November 2026.

The Archeology of Photography Foundation (Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii) was established in 2008 in Warsaw, Poland, as a non-governmental organization. Its founding mission was to protect, secure, develop and make available the legacies of Polish photographers. From its early years, the foundation focused on the archives of key figures in Polish photography, including Zbigniew Dłubak, Zofia Chomętowska, Maria Chrząszczowa, Janusz Bąkowski, Wojciech Zamecznik and Tadeusz Sumiński. In 2011, FAF launched the long-term project "Żywe archiwa" (Living Archives), in which contemporary artists engage in dialogue with photographs from collections being processed by FAF or other archival collections. This project has become a recurring feature of the foundation's program, with editions such as the 2016 exhibition at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw featuring artists Aneta Grzeszykowska, Dorota Buczkowska, Jakub Certowicz and Paweł Szypulski. Between October 2015 and April 2016, FAF realized the project "Długie życie fotografii" (The Long Life of Photography) in collaboration with Norwegian institutions, Polish artists, and a group of conservators, archivists and curators. This project exemplified the foundation's cross-sectoral approach to photographic heritage. FAF has organized numerous exhibitions in Poland and abroad. Selected exhibitions include "Zofia Chomętowska, Między kadrami. Fotografie z lat 1925-1945" at the National Historical Museum in Minsk (October/November 2011); "Zbigniew Dłubak, Body Structures" at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid (June/July 2013); "Majątek. Rzeźby z kolekcji rodziny von Rose oraz filmy i fotografie z archiwum Zofii Chomętowskiej" (March/May 2015); "Wojciech Zamecznik, Foto-graficzne" at the National Gallery of Art Zachęta in Warsaw (January/April 2016, co-organized); "Wojciech Zamecznik, La Photographie sous toutes ses formes" at the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne (August/December 2016, co-organized); "Żywe archiwa" at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw (April/May 2016); "Mariusz Hermanowicz, Do czego może służyć fotografia?" (November/December 2017); and "Choreografia obrazów. Fotografia performatywna: Zbigniew Dłubak, Mariusz Hermanowicz, Antoni Zdebiak" (September/October 2017). The foundation also runs an active publishing program. Selected publications include "Zofia Rydet, Mały człowiek" (2012); "Zbigniew Dłubak. Body structures" (2013); "Teoria sztuki Zbigniewa Dłubaka" (2013); "Zofia Chomętowska, Polska w podróży" (2013, co-published with the National Centre for Culture); "Fotografia – narracje muzealne" (2013); "Karolina Ziębińska-Lewandowska, Między dokumentalnością a eksperymentem. Krytyka fotograficzna w Polsce w latach 1946–1989" (2014, co-published with Fundacja Nowej Kultury Bęc Zmiana); "Tadeusz Sumiński. Industrial" (2014); "Clément Chéroux, Wernakularne. Eseje z historii fotografii" (2014); "Emulsja" (2015); "Dorota Buczkowska. Rok w sanatorium" (2016); "Lux" (2016); "Wojciech Zamecznik. Foto-graficznie" (2016); "Aneta Grzeszykowska. Bez tytułu" (2016); "Jakub Certowicz. Inwentarz" (2016); and "Zofia Chomętowska. Albumy fotografki" (2016, co-published with the Museum of Warsaw). FAF's work has been recognized with several awards: the Fotograficzna publikacja roku 2017 (Photographic Publication of the Year 2017) for "Albumy fotografki"; the Paris Photo Aperture Foundation Photobook Award 2016 for the Wojciech Zamecznik catalogue; and an award from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2013. In 2026, FAF became a permanent partner of "Kwartalnik Fotografia", a quarterly magazine that has been contributing to the discourse on photography since 2000. In April 2026, the foundation initiated a collaboration with DailyArt, an international art education app, to expand its activities and integrate photography into the international art circuit. The foundation continues to host its Discussion Photography Club, with events such as a meeting with photographer Lucjan Demidowski on 29 September 2026, and organizes exhibitions such as "W płynie" at ul. Chłodna 20 in Warsaw from 17 September to 29 November 2026.

• Foundation established in Warsaw, Poland.

• Launch of the long-term project 'Żywe archiwa' (Living Archives).

• Exhibition 'Zofia Chomętowska, Między kadrami. Fotografie z lat 1925-1945' at the National Historical Museum in Minsk.

• Exhibition 'Zbigniew Dłubak, Body Structures' at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.

• Received award from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

• Start of project 'Długie życie fotografii' (The Long Life of Photography), running until April 2016.

• Exhibition 'Wojciech Zamecznik, Foto-graficzne' at the National Gallery of Art Zachęta in Warsaw (co-organized).

• Exhibition 'Żywe archiwa' at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw.

• Exhibition 'Wojciech Zamecznik, La Photographie sous toutes ses formes' at the Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne (co-organized).

• Received Paris Photo Aperture Foundation Photobook Award for the Wojciech Zamecznik catalogue.

• Received Fotograficzna publikacja roku 2017 (Photographic Publication of the Year 2017) for 'Albumy fotografki'.

• FAF becomes permanent partner of 'Kwartalnik Fotografia'.

• Initiated collaboration with DailyArt app.

• Exhibition 'W płynie' opens at ul. Chłodna 20, Warsaw, running until 29 November 2026.

A non-profit foundation dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Polish photographic heritage, operating at the intersection of archival work, contemporary art, and publishing.

• Żywe archiwa (Living Archives)

  A long-term project running since 2011 in which contemporary artists enter into dialogue with photographs from collections being processed by FAF or other archival collections.

• Długie życie fotografii (The Long Life of Photography)

  A project realized from October 2015 to April 2016 in collaboration with Norwegian institutions, Polish artists, and a group of conservators, archivists and curators.

• Zofia Chomętowska. Albumy fotografki

  A four-volume publication (Entuzjastka 1912-1935, Profesjonalistka 1936-1944, Emigrantka 1946-1981, Dokumentalistka 1945), published by the Museum of Warsaw and the Archeology of Photography Foundation in 2016. Awarded Photographic Publication of the Year 2017.

• Wojciech Zamecznik. Foto-graficznie = photo-graphics

  Published by the Archeology of Photography Foundation in 2016. The catalogue received the Paris Photo Aperture Foundation Photobook Award 2016.

• Clément Chéroux, Wernakularne. Eseje z historii fotografii

  Published by the Archeology of Photography Foundation in 2014.

• Tadeusz Sumiński. Industrial

  Published by the Archeology of Photography Foundation in 2014.

• Zofia Rydet, Mały człowiek

  Published by the Archeology of Photography Foundation in 2012.

1. 1Strona główna - Fundacja Archeologia Fotografiifaf.org.pl
2. 2Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii - Wikipediapl.wikipedia.org
3. 3Archeology of Photography Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org