Once upon a time in kazimierz

ONCE UPON A TIME IN KAZIMIERZ PALE LIGHT, 2015 TUSCHMAN SUCCESSFULLY CROWDFUNDED THE PROJECT, AND DESCRIBES IT ON ITSAPPEAL PAGE AS: ‘AN OPEN-ENDED NOVELLA TOLD IN STILL PHOTOGRAPHS. THE SERIES PORTRAYS AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF A FICTIONAL JEWISH FAMILY LIVING IN ON AN UNNAMED STREET IN KAZIMIERZ, THE HISTORICAL JEWISH SECTION OF KRAKÓW, POLAND, IN THE YEAR 1930.’

COUPLE IN THE STREET, 2014‘IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO VISUALLY WEAVE TOGETHER STRANDS OF BOTH CULTURAL HISTORY AND FAMILY HISTORY, WHILE PAYING HOMAGE TO PAINTERS I LOVE, LIKE VERMEER, REMBRANDT, VAN GOGH AND DE CHIRICO.’ HOSHECH (DARKNESS), 2015 ‘ONCE UPON A TIME IN KAZIMIERZ WAS INSPIRED BY VISITS TO KRAKOW, POLAND, WHERE MY WIFE, EWA, GREW UP AND WENT TO UNIVERSITY. UPON MY FIRST VISIT, I IMMEDIATELY LOVED THE OLD CITY, WITH ITS GLORIOUS RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE, AND THE GRITY PATINAS OF OLD NEIGHBORHOODS YET TO BE RENOVATED. PHOTOGRAPH: RICHARD TUSCHMAN/ COURTEST KLOMPCHING GALLERY WORKING MORNING, 2014‘I ALSO LOVED THE HISTORICAL JEWISH SECTION OF KAZIMIERZ. ALTHOUGH IT IS NOW A BUSTLING TOURIST DESTINATION, WITH BUSY RESTAURANTS AND SIDEWALK CAFES, I COULD NOT HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT THE DAILY TEXTURE OF LIFE YEARS AGO, FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY WIFE’S GRANDPARENTS OR GREAT GRANDPARENTS, OR FOR MY OWN EASTERN EUROPEAN ANCESTORS, MANY OF WHOM LIVED IN NEARBY AREAS.’ MYSTERY AND MELANCHOLY OF A STREET, 2016‘THUS, I BEGAN THIS PROJECT. I IMAGINED A MORE OR LESS TYPICAL FAMILY, LIVING IN ABOUT 1930, BEFORE JEWISH LIFE THERE WAS OBLITERATED BY THE HOLOCAUST.’ MEASURING, 2015 ‘IN MY SERIES, THERE ARE SUBTLE HINTS OF A LOOMING DARKNESS, BUT MOSTLY THE CHARACTERS STRUGGLE WITH THE CHALLENGES OF DAILY LIFE; FAMILY TENSIONS, LOVE, HOPE AND GRIEF; ESSENTIAL REALITIES OF THE HUMAN CONDITION.’ ASCENDING, 2015TUSCHMAN HAS LONG BEEN DRAWN TO THIS AESTHETIC, WHERE MEMORIES OF THE PAST SEEM TO OVERLAP IN A DREAM STATE – AND HAS USED IT ON NUMEROUS BOOK COVERS, AS WELL AS IN IMAGERY FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES AND SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. SHACHARIS (MORNING PRAYERS), 2015HIS ACCLAIMED SERIES HOPPER MEDITATIONS, MEANWHILE, USED HIS DIORAMA TECHNIQUE TO RECREATE EDWARD HOPPER PAINTINGS IN PHOTO FORM. THE TAILOR’S WIFE, 2014‘WHILE I STRIVE TO MAKE THE MINIATURE SETS AS CONVINCING AS POSSIBLE, THEY DEVIATE JUST ENOUGH FROM REALITY TO ENHANCE THE THEATRICAL, SLIGHTLY SURREAL MOOD OF THE PIECE,’ HE EXPLAINS.