Bartek Smigulski is a Polish photographer and visual artist based in Warsaw. He is best known for his documentary photography, which often focuses on social issues and the human condition.
Smigulski was born in Warsaw in 1983. He studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, graduating with a degree in 2006. After graduation, he began working as a freelance photographer, shooting for magazines and newspapers such as Newsweek Poland and Gazeta Wyborcza.
In 2008, Smigulski was awarded the Grand Press Photo award for his series of photographs documenting the lives of homeless people in Poland. This series was later published as a book titled “Homeless” (2009). In 2010, he received the World Press Photo award for his series “The Other Side of Life” which documented the lives of people living on the margins of society in Poland.
In addition to his documentary work, Smigulski has also worked on several personal projects including “The Unseen” (2012) which explored themes of identity and belonging; “The Unspoken” (2014) which focused on mental health issues; and “The Unheard” (2016) which explored themes of loneliness and isolation. His work has been exhibited internationally at galleries such as The Photographers' Gallery in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and The National Museum of Photography in Warsaw.
Smigulski's work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, TIME Magazine, National Geographic Magazine, Le Monde Magazine, Der Spiegel Magazine, and many others. He has also been awarded numerous grants from organizations such as The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Open Society Foundations.
Today Smigulski continues to work as a freelance photographer while also teaching workshops at universities around Europe. His work is held in several public collections including those at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City and The National Museum of Photography in Warsaw.