The shortlisted artists for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2026 are currently on display at the Photographers’ Gallery, and we loved the work by Polish artist Weronika Gęsicka .
Her work, entitled Encyclopaedia, draws on a phenomenon: fake entries intentionally inserted into encyclopaedias, dictionaries and lexicons, originally devised as traps to catch copyright violations or as a playful way for editors to leave their mark on the text.
These fictitious facts, subtly contribute to the erosion of trust in sources once considered authoritative.
In Encyclopaedia, Gęsicka presents several hundred of these fabricated definitions, sourced from historical publications she bought online.
By visually reinterpreting them using manipulated stock photos and AI-generated imagery, Gęsicka highlights the tension between truth and invention, as well as the fragile line between fact and fiction.
In a world saturated with information, where news, advertising, and fiction increasingly overlap, how can we distinguish what is ‘real’?
It’s funny, compelling and raises the question: With AI-generated content becoming a norm and images being easily altered, the project asks: what happens when even a single error appears in a source we trust?
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Weronika Gęsicka
Photographer’s Gallery
Runs until 7th June 2026
Admission £10/£7 concs
Book advance tickets online for 15% off the full admission price. Admission is free on Fridays after 4pm
Opening hours
- Monday – Wednesday – 10.00 – 18.00
- Thursday & Friday Lates – 10.00 – 20.00
- Saturday – 10.00 – 18.00
- Sunday – 11.00 – 18.00
- Public holidays: 11.00 – 18.00
Location
16 – 18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW
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