AFTER-IMAGES OF POLAND (Poland, 1989-1997)
With the collapse of communism in Europe old certainties disappeared like a breath. The social, cultural and economic reality in Poland, frozen for fifty years, also had to quickly adapt to the rest of the world. Industrial workers, the vanguard of the revolution, disappeared from the stage, ethnic groups were involved in massive migrations and unemployment soared, particularly at the village level. The unrest led to many protest marches. On the other hand, previously forbidden street trading now flourished. Young people, energetic and unencumbered by the past, seized their chance. For instance, they tried to escape the drabness of life by beauty contests. A class of nouveaux riches rapidly emerged, which imposed its consumerism and coarse taste as a new norm for the rest of the population.
