Take-away
Take-away is an enigmatic series exploring London’s hospitality sector in the midst of the pandemic. The photos focus largely on South London-based spaces, many of which are independently run by immigrant workers. During the lockdown, restaurants heavily relied on online promotion and take-away to stay viable – though even this could often not provide them financial stability. Many of these spaces no longer exist, some have been replaced by large chain restaurants which stand a better chance of survival in these uncertain times. Within this series, Korobkiewicz shares her perspective on the changing dynamics within restaurants, showcasing their new interior arrangements that have transformed a formerly pedestrian space into an unfamiliar, otherworldly environment. In doing so, she is posing the question of how this changing climate will continue to impact restaurants as physical spaces where we interact, offering insight into a world many of us could not enter.
Paulina Korobkiewicz (b. 1993, Suwałki, Poland) is a photographer and visual artist. Her work portrays how spaces are constructed by the people who inhabit them. She explores trauma of post-communist states, politics of identity, home and belonging. Paulina is particularly interested in the impact of the transition from socialism to capitalism on the contemporary man-altered landscape. She lives and works in London, UK.