Paul / Paweł

If Paul Koncewicz were born in Poland, people would call him Paweł. His parents divorced when he was 1 year old. A few years later, his mother relocated to Germany with her new husband and her two children. Things went well in their new home: Soon they could move from social housing to their own house.
When he met his biological father many years later, Paul Koncewicz had already started studying photography. Having developed a strong interest in portrait photography, he was able to re-approach his Polish relatives from behind the camera. The resulting book project plays out in two parts: One Side for the Polish branch of his family and one for the German one–mixing original photography with family album treasures. A picture of infant Paweł in the arms of his Polish father is quickly followed by a portrait of two grown men sitting on a tricycle. His older German sister looks strikingly similar to his Polish half-sister.
Paul/Paweł portrays two families that are physically separated but close at the same time. Different yet similar.