Andrzej Tobis

b. 1970, Wieluń

Photographer, painter, teacher. He is a graphic arts graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, where he is now an associate professor. He refers to himself as a photographing observer and compares himself to a mythical inventor of a language, pointing to objects, naming them and creating meanings. He paints when taking a break from observing. His paintings usually allude to the symbolism of dreams, surrealist associations and juxtapositions. He has been working on a long-term project, A-Z (Educational Showcases), since 2006, with a focus on the connection between word and image. Winner of the 34th Bielsko-Biała Autumnal National Painting Competition in 1999. He lives and works in Katowice.

110 12 das Schwimmbecken / The Partition for Non-swimmers

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2007, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 40 × 50 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

77 30 die Mülltonne / The Dustbin

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2010, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

174 18 der Satanspilz / The Satan's mushroom

from A-Z series A-Z (Educational Cabinets), 2012, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

114 24 die Mundharmonika / The Mouth-Organ, Harmonica

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2006, pigment inkjet print, dibond / 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

170 3 (3.A) die Limousine / The Limousine

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2013, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 40 × 50 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

36 5 (3.A) der Vater / The Father

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2011, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

105 9 der Torraum / The Goal Area

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2006, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 40 × 50 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

73 23 das Bandeisen / The Band-Iron

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2012, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

139 28-34 die Berufskleidung / The Professional Clothing

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2008, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

179 27 der Sonnenuntergang / The Sunset

from A-Z series (Educational Cabinets), 2007, pigment inkjet print, dibond, 50 × 40 cm × 5 cm

The A–Z (Educational Cabinets) series is an artistic project in progress since November 2006. To date, Andrzej Tobis has collected and labelled several hundred photographs. The ever-expanding photograph series is an attempt at describing the world, naming phenomena and defining reality. Tobis found a formula and form for his endeavour in the first three editions of Bildwörterbuch Deutsch und Polnisch, an illustrated Polish-German dictionary from the mid-20th century. All entries are accompanied by photographs of Polish reality taken by the artist, none staged or photoshopped. The image/entry matches are surprising and amusing, with a hint at subversive irony, accurate illustrations as well as visual riddles. The photographic documentation Tobis has collected is in itself a record of changes to Polish landscape and mentality.

Title translations from Picture Vocabulary German and English with 181 black-and-white and 8 colour plates, Third Reprinted Edition (Leipzig: Veb Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1962).

I agree to the processing of data in accordance with the Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please disable cookies in your browser. More →

Changes to the Privacy Policy


In accordance with the legal requirements imposed by the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing of the Directive 95/46/WE, a new Privacy Policy applies on this Website, which contains all information regarding the collection, processing, and protection of personal data of users of this Website.

Furthermore, we remind you that for the correct operation of the website we use information stored in cookie files. You can change the cookies settings in the settings of your browser. If you do not agree to the use of cookies on this Website, please change the settings in your browser or leave the Website.

Privacy Policy