"Makeshift" is a project dedicated to rewriting history in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the mass atrocities of the Bosnian War, the places where they occurred, and their erased context. History is a collective narrative, and therefore has the capacity to rewrite, omitting what was meant to be forgotten. Given that a significant portion of the events of the 1992-1995 Bosnian War were obscured by new historical narratives aimed at preserving the integrity of the newly formed society of divided ethnic groups, it is crucial to analyze this conflict, its causes, and its consequences. The series was presented to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Encontros da Imagem photography festival in Braga, Portugal. The exhibition was curated by Vitor Nieves. The exhibition took place at the University of Minho's School of Meditation from September 20 to November 3, 2024. "Makeshift" has previously been exhibited by Encontros da Imagem; several works from the series are in the Foundation's collection, and in 2017 the project won the festival's Discovery Award. In 2025, Paweł Starzec won a Hasselblad Foundation Photo Book Grant for his "Makeshift" project, which will see a book based on the project published in 2026 in collaboration with Sun Archive.
Osiągnięcia artystycznePrace artystyczneauthorship of an artwork at an event
Misophonia is a disorder characterized by adverse reactions to specific repetitive sounds, such as oral and nasal noises made by humans (e.g., chewing, sniffing) and environmental sounds (e.g., animal licking, tapping). These reactions can manifest early in life and involve the nervous, autonomic, and perceptual systems. Cognitive functions appear to play a key role in how these stimuli are processed in individuals with misophonia. or tapping. Although it is associated with various psychiatric disorders, it also presents distinct clinical features that suggest alterations in cognitive processing, particularly selective attention and inhibitory control. However, research on cognitive processes in situations without exposure to trigger sounds in individuals with misophonia, especially children, remains limited. Given that misophonia typically begins in childhood or adolescence, understanding its early cognitive profile is crucial.
This study investigated cold cognitive processes, including inhibitory control, selective and divided attention, along with verbal and abstract reasoning, using performance-based tests in children with misophonia (n = 32) and controls without sound-related issues (n = 30), aged 7–17.
Children with misophonia outperformed controls in divided attention (p < .001) and inhibitory control (p < .001), with no differences in other cognitive domains. Logistic regression showed that better inhibitory control increased the likelihood of misophonia, while linear regression indicated that misophonia status and selective attention predicted better inhibitory control. These results suggest that misophonia in children is related to enhanced inhibitory control rather than deficits in cognitive functioning. A better understanding of these cognitive processes could be an important step toward understanding the nature of misophonia, especially in pediatric populations.
"Visual Systems: Visual Communication" was a solo exhibition devoted to the topic of dynamic visual identification, showcasing Mateusz Antczak's research and design work. The event took place at the University of South-Eastern Norway in Drammen from October 20 to November 28, 2025. The exhibition opened with a vernissage combined with a curatorial tour, attended by an international academic audience. The exhibition featured static and animated projects, as well as sketches, artifacts from the design process, standardization documents, and implemented visual identification system materials. A 57-page catalog, published in Polish and English, accompanied the exhibition, containing the author's text, project presentations, and photographic documentation. The exhibition was curated by Prof. Theo Sikkes (USN).
Osiągnięcia artystycznePrace artystyczneauthor's exhibition in a renowned institution
Background: Breast cancer poses not only a physical health threat but also emotional and identity challenges for women, particularly regarding femininity and body image. Understanding how patients adapt psychologically can guide effective psychosocial interventions. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate psychological adaptation, coping strategies, illness acceptance, and body image in women with breast cancer and identify factors associated with better adjustment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 30 women aged 22–66 undergoing treatment at the Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii, Poland. Standardized tools included the Mini-MAC scale (coping strategies), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and Body Image Scale (BIS). Descriptive statistics and correlations were analyzed. Results: Most participants exhibited a constructive coping style, with positive redefinition and fighting spirit being predominant. Some women simultaneously showed elements of a destructive coping style, including helplessness and hopelessness, indicating complex emotional reactions. Overall, participants demonstrated high illness acceptance, despite notable body image-related discomfort, particularly shame, reduced perceived attractiveness, and appearance-related anxiety. While age did not correlate significantly with coping or body image, a significant negative association was found between age and illness acceptance, with younger women showing better adjustment. Conclusions: Psychological adaptation to breast cancer is multidimensional and individualized, dependent on personality traits, internal resources, and social support. Findings highlight the need for holistic, patient-centered psychosocial care, addressing both emotional adaptation and body image-related distress, including support for intimacy and prosthetic interventions. Individualized strategies can improve quality of life and functional outcomes during and after cancer treatment.
The publication discusses Article 118 of the Executive Criminal Code (k.k.w.), in particular paragraphs 2 and 4 thereof, which constitute the legal basis for medical intervention against the will of a person deprived of liberty when the life of a convicted person is in serious danger or when there is an immediate risk of the convicted person’s death. The article describes the current practice of applying this provision in penitentiary settings, in view of the limited number of publications devoted to this issue. In order to present and assess this practice, a dogmatic legal method was applied and cases examined by the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights were analysed. In addition, the article discusses international standards stemming from the case-law of the European Court of Human
Rights, recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and the standards developed by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). On the basis of these findings, conclusions are drawn as to the need for legislative amendments and for the implementation of changes at the level of practical application of the discussed provisions, which constitute the
basis for medical interventions with respect to persons conducting hunger strikes in prisons or refusing treatment in other types of situations. Since such action taken against a patient’s will constitutes a derogation from the general principle of personal autonomy and thus represents a serious interference with the right to personal dignity, potentially leading to degrading treatment, the application of Article 118 § 2 of the Executive Criminal Code requires particular caution and the taking of action at an appropriate time, that is, neither prematurely or preventively, nor too late. The article offers a new perspective on the use of Article 118 of the Executive Criminal Code in conditions of penitentiary isolation, not only in relation to persons refusing to take food but also with regard to persons
suffering from mental illness. It also highlights cases of long-term, over one-year, forced feeding carried out on the basis of this provision. Further-more, it discusses international recommendations on force-feeding, both those adopted several years ago and the most recent ones, which have so far not been addressed in the relevant literature.
