Tom Krawczyk is a Chicago-based photographer and filmmaker. He lived in South Korea for 2 years, teaching students and working on documentaries. His photographs have been painted as murals in the bustling neighborhood of Hongdae, South Korea and displayed as billboards in Hong Kong. He lived in India, Australia, Myanmar, Fiji, and New Zealand, working as a photographer guide for an adventure program for students from around the world. Currently, he’s a second-year MA photography student at the Lodz Film School in Poland.
Sweet Fudge and Squeaky Cheese
My series, Sweet Fudge and Squeaky Cheese is an exploration of nostalgic memories that helped shape and define my upbringing. Being raised by a single mother in Chicago, Wisconsin became an escape for us. During the end of summer 2020, when the world felt like it was crumbling, I decided to take a solo trip to the outskirts of the Dells and stay in a trailer for a few days. I wanted to be alone and reminisce about the good old days. I brought my bike along with me and used it to visit the old places that were still so bright and vivid in my memory. I wanted to feel and smell the familiar air. In the evening, I’d write my memories in a journal to a beer and an old classic movie playing in the background.
After 20+ years, time and Covid took a toll on a lot of these places but there was still a familiar energy lurking in the air. Standing in an empty parking lot, in front of a dilapidating motel, it still felt wholesome. It felt like Wisconsin was just taking a little break and that she’d be back soon.
To view more of Tom Krawczyk’s work please visit their website.