Being Well is a photographic project realized by visual artist Tom Swoboda. The overarching goal of this multi-photo project is to outline the perspective to make visible those who are the greatest potential of this peculiar city - the people of Bielsko-Biała. Each of the portraits - and there are more than a hundred of them - is a testimony to the unique stories, emotions of people who have chosen to live and realize their potential in this special place.

In this context, Being Well becomes more than just a photographic exhibition; it is an invitation to a deeper reflection on the condition of modern man and his relationship with the space in which he lives. Swoboda's portraits, though at first glance sparing in form, even ascetic, carry a wealth of meanings. In black-and-white frames, the artist captured not only the physical faces of the people of Bielsko-Biała, but also their inner image - dreams, fears, hopes and joys, memories and plans. These are silhouettes of people who, without abandoning their individuality, form a coherent whole, intertwined by the thread of concern for the place where they live.

The symbiotic relationship between man and city is the central theme of this project. The city is not only the space in which we live, but also - or perhaps above all - a living organism, shaped by its inhabitants and at the same time influencing their fate. Tom Swoboda, through his photographs, asks whether we can talk about “wellbeing” as something that is the result of harmony between the individual and the community, between private and public space. Is it possible to achieve such a state in which everyone feels part of a larger whole, while not losing their sense of uniqueness and autonomy?

The photographs implanted in the fabric of Bielsko-Biała become an integral part of the urban landscape for a while. They are not an aesthetic addition to the architecture, but a manifesto of human presence in a space that shapes and is shaped by man. By placing the portraits in different locations, Swoboda emphasizes that each of these faces has meaning, each is an essential and irreplaceable part of the organism that is the city. Each is important.

In today's world, where anonymity and isolation are beginning to dominate not only urban life, the author suggests that we stop and think about whether we need to redefine the question of the meaning of community. What values and emotions shape our daily experiences? What paths have been walked by those whose faces we see in the photographs. How did their fates, decisions, and actions affect the character of the city as we know it today? Do we recognize ourselves in these individuals?

This project, carried out as part of the Days of Bielsko-Biała 2024, becomes a perfect pretext for considering the condition of modern man and his endless potential. A potential that also brings with it responsibility and that can make the city a space of true wellbeing.