The Real Ones

“The Real Ones” is a photographic and social project by Łukasz Klimek – an artist, photographer and creative visionary returning to Warsaw after years abroad. As a newcomer to the city, he chooses to discover it not through architecture, but through people. Every portrait in the project is raw, authentic and stripped of filters – accompanied by a quote or voice of the portrayed person. Celebrities and activists appear next to vendors, bus drivers, doctors, artists and civil servants – all equal in front of the lens. They share what matters to them: in life, in the city, in Poland. By reversing the usual narrative – where institutions and media speak for the public – this project gives space for people to speak for themselves. Debuted during Gallery Warsaw at Hala Koszyki and featured in Nowa Warszawa, the project has already gained recognition among Warsaw’s creative and civic communities. Now it grows into a wider urban voice – one that reflects the real spirit of the city.