DEGURBA 3, 2019/2020
I found the subjects of this project through a Facebook group dedicated to skateboarding. From the start, I made it clear that I was looking for skaters from villages — preferably as far away from major urban centers as possible. The responses came quickly; dozens of people from all over Poland got in touch.
I come from a small town myself, and I remember that time well: the boredom, the constant search for excitement, wandering through abandoned buildings, late-night walks along roads without sidewalks. I remember building our own obstacles, skating wherever we could, dreaming of skateparks and trips to bigger cities. And when those trips finally happened, I also remember the frustration and envy of knowing that this was not my everyday life. Back then, I thought I had it harder. But after visiting the guys from Siedliska, Czarny Dunajec, Jabłonka, Orawka, Brzeźno, Niedomice, and Zaława, I realized that having broad access to infrastructure is not everything.
DEGURBA – Degree of urbanization according to the European Union's classification. It is divided by three degrees: cities (1), small towns and suburban areas (2), villages (3). According to this classification, everyone living in so-called: „degurba 3” is in a difficult life situation.