Non-Places By Natalia Wiernik

“The concept of place in the anthropological context implies its relationship with the culture, history and the sense of identity. The place understood as an area for living, coexistence and formation of relationships seems to have more important meaning than ever before. In the nineties, a French anthropologist, Marc Augé, while trying to define modernity, introduced the concept of „non-places”- which are in opposition to the aforementioned features, thus defining shopping centers, gas stations, airports, highways or the Internet space. Non-places remain anonymous – they are very similar to each other, elude identification and despite almost constant presence of people, remain alien, „unowned”and impersonal. I wanted to enter into a discussion with Augé’s theory. I decided to portray one of the „non-places” the shopping center during night.”