black and white photography

RE VENI RE

RE VENI RE is a limited edition artist book written by the poet and sociologist Maria Stadnicka and produced by the book artist Andrew Morrison, and it reflects the migration journey of Romanian diaspora settled in Britain. “Revenire” [trans. from Romanian] means “returning” and it contains texts based on interviews conducted by Maria with Romanian migrants for her PhD research into transgenerational trauma transmission. Each text has the same number of lines and they build a lyrical interpretation of stories enfolded by uprooting. Although each story is different, together they shape the commonality of a diasporic culture that is making its voice heard in the British space.

RE VENI RE is letterpress printed and published by Kerbstone Press, on the occasion of the Enfolded Journeys exhibition. The project Enfolded Journeys is a touring exhibition relating to travel, displacement, geographies and borders, and migration in recent times and in the past as the effects of such movements of peoples, whether compelled or voluntary, may resound through the generations.

RE VENI RE will be displayed in various art galleries across England, Scotland and Italy, starting with the Leeds Central Library (21 March – 5 April, 2025) and ending with Venice in 2026.

© Maria Stadnicka, February 2025

A wish for 2025

A few months ago I had in mind to create a calendar with landscape photographs I’ve taken throughout 2024 but my work schedule made it impossible to see the project come to light. It would be too late to do it now in time for 2025 but here is the selection I had in mind. Feel free to add your own photograph and send it in return instead of a Christmas or a New Year card. Maybe a photograph that represents your 2024 or your hope for 2025.

Have a Happy Winter Season! La Multi Ani!

Maria Stadnicka

  • January, Lower Cam / ©MStadnicka

Timeframes

© Maria Stadnicka, 2024

Doxology

© Maria Stadnicka, 2024


prayer for rechargeable batteries

and fastness and coffee mornings

for raffle tickets and crisp stereo sound

for power banks and batch cooking 



prayer for beer-tapas at my local pub 

and for average speed limits 

for goodenoughness at school reunions 

and metastatic anonymity online



prayer for microphones and bespoke

for three-in-one and all other numerals 

for Karen from Home Deliveries

and her quick recovery from sick leave



prayer for perhaps and passwords 

for stopping mid-sentence and for 

everything else that is temporary 

apart from betrayal 



prayer for scissors and for the frontal cortex

and for a long-distance relationship

with my past life

© Maria Stadnicka, February 2024

Sine Loco

Abstract things. Summer Week.

Photography: © Maria Stadnicka, 2023

John Stadnicki Student Photography Award

On 24th August 2023 it will be a year since my husband, the photographer John Stadnicki died. His untimely and unexpected sudden death has had a great impact on every person who knew John over the years: family, friends, colleagues, students, ex-students, and the art community in Stroud, Gloucestershire, where he lived and worked.

John Stadnicki (1961 – 2022)

John worked at the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College for over thirty years and has been an integral part of the Arts Departments, especially the photography specialism. He was generous and supportive, and his life was about inspiring young people to believe in themselves and be the best version of themselves.

In recognition of John’s legacy and dedication to photography and to his students, SGS College has initiated the John Stadnicki Student Photography Award. The first edition took place at the end of the academic year 22-23. The prize was awarded to the first set of students,  based on the votes from former and current tutors, local photographers (both amateur and professional) and a public vote.

On 24th September 2023, I will be walking 21 miles in support of this initiative, together with Andrew Morrison, Jen Whiskerd, Adelaide Morris, Chris Morris and Amanda Bonney Lowery, as we would like for this award and legacy to continue in the years to come, and to support other talented students.

If you could like to join and / or support the award, please do. Access the link below:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/creative-department-ssoa

My gratitude goes to the Art Department at SGS, and especially to Kayleigh Reynolds for co-ordinating this initiative and for working so hard to make it happen! My gratitude also goes to the friends joining the walk and supporting this initiative.

Here are the winners of the 1st edition of the John Stadnicki Student Photography Award 2022.

First place (winning £250): Bethan Seymour – Lady Lying.
Second Place (winning £100): Lottie Jones – Man Resting.
Third Place (winning £50): Martha Haslam – Fungi Close Up.

Thank you very much.

Maria Stadnicka

An Everyday Project(July – August 2022). Black and White / Film Photography ©John Stadnicki

John Stadnicki’s last photographs (1-24 August 2022). Black and white film.

  • 1st August 2022 © John Stadnicki
The Aftercrying 


Dreamed I found a child sleeping 
on the steps of my house; perhaps lost
back from night shifts at a nearby foundry. 

His fists, the size of fruits, face up 
shinning below street lamps. Everything 
grey as expected in night terrors. 

Blackbirds call his name, flutter
in circle. Above city parks, a time-grenade 
hissing before its safety pin snaps. 

Lights off. …………………………………….
I reach up holding a door key.
Open a final version of myself.


25th August 2022, Maria Stadnicka

‘Domestication’ for Printed Poetry Symposium, Centre for Print Research UWE Bristol, 14 Oct 2021

‘Domestication’ Maria Stadnicka and Andrew Morrison, October 2021

For Printed Poetry Symposium Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka have documented the process of making a collaborative print – a dialogue between poet (who also draws) and letterpress artist (who also writes). The poem reaches towards appropriate visual form as letterpress variations are passed between the two. Maria and Andrew have worked together on a number of projects involving written/spoken word and visual arts; most recently Andrew’s letterpress collages made in response to Maria’s poems from Buried Gods Metal Prophets (Guillemot Press, 2021).

Printed Poetry Symposium is organised by Angie Butler for the Centre for Print Research, UWE, Bristol. and takes place on Thursday, 14th October 2021, 2pm at Arnolfini, Bristol.

The event includes talks by: Nancy Campbell, Johanna Darque (Small Press), Antony Dunn (the People Powered Press), Leonard McDermid, Andrew Morrison, Maria Stadnicka, Ndukwe Onuoha, Pat Randle, and Barrie Tullett. Tickets are available here.

© Maria Stadnicka, October 2021.

Domestication. Fragment

Short clip from the video ‘Domestication’ © Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka, 2021

This is a fragment from ‘Domestication’ created by Andrew Morrison and Maria Stadnicka. The video follows the poem ‘Domestication’ (© Stadnicka, 2021) and it is a reflection on how the notions of work, writing and collaboration have changed during the lockdown in the UK, following the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

‘Domestication’ was produced for the Printed Poetry Project, organised by Angie Butler for the Centre for Print Research, UWE, Bristol.

The video and discussion will feature on Thursday, 14th October 2021, 2pm at the Printed Poetry Symposium, Arnolfini, Bristol.

The symposium will include talks by: Nancy Campbell, Johanna Darque (Small Press), Antony Dunn (the People Powered Press), Leonard McDermid, Andrew Morrison, Maria Stadnicka, Ndukwe Onuoha, Pat Randle, and Barrie Tullett. Tickets are available here.

© Maria Stadnicka, September 2021.

Forthcoming: ‘Domestication’

Forthcoming ‘Domestication’: film collaboration with the book artist and printer Andrew Morrison for Arnolfini Bristol.

© Maria Stadnicka, September 2021.