Eryk Jeziorski

'Your every letter. Each one, a bright beam of light and joy in a dark time of sadness.' Zofia Zawadzka, 19th August, 1950

Exploring the notion of loneliness in a big city, Halfway Home is an exhibition of handwritten letters that invites people to discover their desire for love and intimacy, exploring vulnerability as a guide through the never-ending quest to find happiness.

The heart of the gallery is a hand-bound collection of over 270 letters to Roman Zawadzki, a Polish officer, immigrant, faithful husband, beloved son and a best friend. Dated between 1942 and 1951, these letters range from mundane package requests, through concise questions of health, to extremely personal and emotional declarations of love. Full of loneliness, nostalgia and longing for love, it is a deeply captivating representation of the past and in turn, an inspiration for a better understanding of the present.

By studying Roman’s correspondence with his wife, I was inspired to compare these beautifully expressed emotions of separation felt by people back in the day, to my own feelings experienced today.