Artist Blog

Every week an artist whose single image was published by Der Greif is given a platform in which to blog about contemporary photography.

Today I’m glad to share with you work by my best friend Kuba Rubaj. For Kuba, the most important thing in photography is authenticity, sincerity of intentions which artist have. He is sure that photography or art should arise by itself – from pure necessity and emotions, not because of contests, awards, fame, money, or anything else. In general, he is interested in issues related to human atavism present in many forms, and its relation to nature. The main subjects he currently works on, are Rainbow and the Road. These two issues coincide, he didn’t separate them. I couldn’t tell his story better than he did himself: My relationship with the road dates back to my early years, when my father and I used to cycle across Eastern Europe. It started as a father-son adventure, then I ventured out alone. Throughout the years I have visited Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia and Serbia, some of them repeatedly. Images moved before my eyes seem to be the reason why I started to take photographs. I took part in the first Rainbow gathering in Czech Republic in 2007. I stumbled upon it by accident. It was a small, tirty-people family oriented gathering, with very calm atmoshpere. I started to photograph on my second Rainbow in Ukraine in 2009. At that point I decided to join gatherings all over the world. I visited eight countries and four continents so far, I went to Brazil, Slovakia, Turkey, Morocco, Finland, Spain – twice, Poland and Ukraine. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and effort to get to a gathering. The one in Turkey was hidden almost 50km deep in the high mountains, and You had to walk. I spend a lot of time on travelling between gatherings and home. I usually avoid main roads and well known paths. I cycle, hitchhike, fly with the cheapest airlines if it’s necessary, sometimes I just walk. Lack of money can make travelling more difficult and slow things down but then it also opens you to new situations. Series from Rainbow entails the series about the road. With time the photographs I took while travelling began writing story without me noticing it. These images arised from my emotional states while being on the Road. All of them are triggered by a happening, a sudden impulse to press the shutterspeed. Some of them were taken on the Rainbow gatherings or on its edges. During these four years I realized a few things. Photographs are concequence – not a purpose why I travel, for sure. The Road has always had a deep symbolic and mythological meaning. Joseph Campbell claimed that myths have accompanied us since the beginning of mankind. The Road has always been a symbol of inner transformation. A man has to go on the road to discover himself, reach closer for the truth within himself and find means for self-improvement. Everyone has their own path to take. „It won’t tell you what makes you happy, but it will tell you what happens when you begin to follow your happiness, what the obstacles are that you are going to run into.” Joseph Campbell The road has always been close to a man. Tangibly and symbolically. There is something universal. I would like to add, that for Kuba to be on the road is something natural, like breathing. It makes sense all by itself. On the day of departure, Kuba shines with happiness, simply levitates above the ground. That makes it hard for me, for I feel, that one day he will not return. He will forever keep on the Road. I guess I have come to terms with that. I know Kuba will be happy on the Road.