Kuching Diary, October 18 – October 26, 2023

October 18, 2023
“The Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a thunderstorm warning for Kuching and other areas in southern Sarawak this morning—and yes, the rain is pouring down. First observation apart from that: unlike I was told, the city is not that quiet.”

About the City Diaries
The city at the beginning of the twenty-first century is the major theme of Peter Bialobrzeski’s “City Diaries”. In this long-term project, which so far comprises 23 volumes, he has been investigating since 2013 whether the preconception of a city — a product of prejudices, personal observations and media communications — can be transformed into a specific image. Whether Osaka or Unna, Wuhan or Wolfsburg, Bialobrzeski is interested in the cultural differences increasingly hidden by globalization, which he makes visible by means of a seemingly objectifying aesthetic. Current political and social developments are also reflected in Bialobrzeski’s images and diary entries. Cairo, for example, cannot be understood without the Arab Spring, Athens without the euro crisis, and Wolfsburg, of course, without VW and the emissions scandal. On the occasion of the publication of “Athens Diary,” Melanie Mühl wrote in the FAZ: “Everyone should see these photographs.”
The format and page count of all titles are identical. This systematic approach allows for a comparative view of different urban settings, ranging from a megalopolis like Bangkok to a Westphalian medium-sized town like Unna. Further volumes will be published in loose order over the next few years.

Peter Bialobrzeski’s work has been exhibited worldwide. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including two World Press Photo Awards (2003, 2010). In 2012 he was granted the Dr. Erich Salomon Award by the German Photographic Society.