Concordia

In the spring of 2012, the global media followed the tragic shipwreck of the Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship, which capsized on January 13th. Towed to the port of Genoa, in 2014 Kielkowski gained access to the wrecked cruise ship to document the “sunken pleasure spot.” The ship Concordia (Latin for Harmony) is elaborately designed, guided by a design concept dedicated to different European nations and translating their landmarks into appealing decorative elements. The architectural elements of the lonely, once colorful rooms intertwine with traces of destruction and signs of ongoing decay to create a setting that is as oppressive as it is aesthetically appealing. Kielkowski's photographs of the Costa Concordia evoke historical references such as the RMS Titanic, which sank exactly 100 years earlier, and illustrate a continuity of human ambition for boundless luxury and mobility, as well as unrestricted triumph over nature, which repeatedly collides with moments of failure.

The images were published in 2016 in the book "Concordia" by White Press Publishing, in various daily newspapers, print and web magazines, as well as in film and television.