Kinda rough today
Photographer: Małgorzata Smieszek
Exhibit Title: Kinda rough today
Location: Poland
When Natalia was 14, she started experimenting with drugs out of curiosity. She quickly realized she liked it. Olek's biological mother was a drug addict. When he was one year old, Monika and Tadeusz adopted him, giving him love, a safe home, and were doing their best to meet his needs. But despite their efforts, they couldn't shield him from the traps of adolescence. At 16, Olek started using drugs with a group of young addicts- that's when he met Natalia. A few months into their relationship, Natalia found out she was pregnant. At first, she was overwhelmed with fear - worried that Olek might leave her and she'd have to face motherhood alone. But the pregnancy became a turning point for both of them. As they prepared for their son's arrival, they changed their lifestyles. Mikołaj was born in December 2023, and the young couple moved in with Olek's parents to raise him together...They allowed me to photograph key moments in their lives.
I witnessed their determination in confronting their difficult pasts, as well as their daily struggle to reconcile parenthood with the reality of still being teenagers. Their first year together was a lesson in finding balance—between the youthful need for freedom and the responsibility for another person. Olek struggled to embrace his role as a father, but the burden of daily responsibilities, exhaustion, and the feeling of being lost that comes with being young overwhelmed him. Natalia, in turn, severed contact with her old friends and devoted herself entirely to raising her child, spending most of her time at home. Their relationship underwent a serious crisis and ultimately fell apart after a year and a half. Despite the separation, the couple still enjoys the support of adults. Meanwhile, little Mikołaj has turned two. His mother, Natalia, is trying to balance motherhood with the need to build relationships with peers, continuing her education, and trying to earn a living. Olek has a new friend. Each day brings them new experiences, and the future remains uncertain and difficult to predict. This is a long-term project—an ongoing process.
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