New World — Krzysztof Sienkiewicz. Photographer

"New World" is the name of the announced shipping channel, which is meant to split the Vistula Spit, but it is also a way of thinking. A policy full of catchwords about sovereignty, independence, dignity and tradition create the new world primarily on paper. Big plans and gigantomania serve to build identity and national myth, but rarely end with implementation. That's not their goal. The fact that a lot of these ideas are outdated and from the past may serve as evidence. Huge project costs often come with a threat to the environment and the local population. Despite this, ribbons are being cut, symbolic poles are stack to the ground, mock-ups are being shown. Flexing of muscles and dreaming dreams of national power do not end. And that's enough. There is no need for more. The story lives on.
The photographs show symbolic places - areas intented for announced investments. The project is accompanied by a video composed of excerpt from press conferences.

The "New World" shipping canal measures 1.1 km in length, 20m in width and 5m in depth. It makes it possible to cover the shortest sea route from the port in Elbląg to the Baltic Sea. Its construction resolved a long-standing dispute with Russia over the possibility of using the Pilawa Strait. The plans of the excavation of the Vistula Spit date back to the reign of King Stefan Batory, they also returned during the communism.

Przebrno, Vistula Spit. The "New World" shipping canal crosses the Vistula Spit between Przebrno and Skowronki. It measures 1.1 km in length, 20m in width and 5m in depth. “New World” canal makes it possible to cover the shortest sea route from the harbour in Elbląg to the Baltic Sea. Its construction resolved a long-standing dispute with Russia over the possibility of using the Pilawa Strait. The plans of the excavation of the Vistula Spit date back to the reign of King Stefan Batory. They also returned during the communism era.

Baranów. The “Solidarity Transport Hub” is located 40km southeast from the capital city of Poland, Warsaw. It consists of a mega airport with super-fast railway connection and a freeway in close proximity. Its capacity reaches 100 million passengers per year.

Radom. The Radom-Sadków airport, formerly a military one, began its civil operations in 2015. After disastrous initial years of functioning with very little traffic it was vastly developed and now has the capacity of 2 million passengers per year.

Żarnowiec. 1.5GW nuclear power plant in Żarnowiec. One of six nuclear reactors operating in Poland ensuring energy independence for the country. It was built in the place of the abandoned nuclear power plant construction from the 1980s.

Pradolina Wieprza. Droga wodna E40 połączyła Morze Czarne z Bałtykiem. W całości ma długość blisko 2 tysięcy kilometrów i oprócz Polski biegnie też przez Białoruś i Ukrainę. Nowa, śródlądowa droga handlowa kosztowała 12 miliardów euro i połączyła port w Gdański z portem w Chersoniu.

Pradolina Wieprza. Droga wodna E40 połączyła Morze Czarne z Bałtykiem. W całości ma długość blisko 2 tysięcy kilometrów i oprócz Polski biegnie też przez Białoruś i Ukrainę. Nowa, śródlądowa droga handlowa kosztowała 12 miliardów euro i połączyła port w Gdański z portem w Chersoniu.

Wieprz glacial valley. The E40 waterway connected the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea. It is almost two thousand kilometers long and, apart from Poland, also runs through Belarus and Ukraine. The new inland trade route cost EUR 12 billion and connected the port of Gdansk with the port of Kherson.

Łomianki. The S7 express road runs through the buffer zone of the Kampinos National Park and connects the north with the south of Poland.

Dam in Siarzewo. The dam in Siarzewo on the 708. kilometre of Vistula is a part of the "Lower Vistula Cascade" project planned way back during communist era. It supplies electricity thanks to an 80MW power plant and enables inland waterway transport to the ports of Gdynia and Gdańsk. It is also a road connection of two banks of the Vistula.

Vistula Lagoon near Krynica Morska. The fairway leading from the port in Elbląg to the "New World" canal crosses the Vistula Lagoon. The track is accompanied by an artificial island made of sand that is costantly being dug out in order to deepen the fairway. In the winter an icebreaker operates to make way for the ships.

Video sources in order of appearance:
- an excerpt from the speech of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Radom from 7.05.19 [source: https://youtu.be/RXCLSeP_9q8]
- an excerpt from an interview with the government plenipotentiary for the Solidarity Transport Hub Mikołaj Wild for Polish Radio from 14.05.19 [source: https://youtu.be/SEnrdS14FhM]
- two excerpts from a press conference on the excavation of the Vistula Spit of 16.10.18 [source: https://youtu.be/cRcB0PQljUY]
- an excerpt from the coverage by Polish Public Television from the parade on the occasion of the Polish Army Day 15.08.18 [source: https://youtu.be/uotROlaMbvo]