About

photo: Jan Kędzia

My name is Aleksandra Wierzbowska and for years I've been mostly on the road, carrying out outdoor projects as well as closing culture, spaces, faces and first ascents in frames. During numerous trips, I have worked with such names as Sennheiser, National Geographic Magazine Poland, Royal Geographical Society, Petzl, Scarpa, Fjord Nansen, PAJAK, Cokin, The Reykjavik Grapevine and many more making visual and literary material. 

I have completed a number of travel and sports expeditions from winter long-distance cycling, through long-distance hikes in Iceland, Lapland and the Himalayas, to climbing countless peaks, opening new climbing areas on virgin walls & creating a climbing environment in the rural areas within Project Armenia. 

During my numerous, mostly solo journeys, I have often defended myself against attempts of sexual assault, witnessed extreme poverty, saw gender inequality and met thousands of refugees in the Balkans. Those experiences made my consciousness grow and created in me a desire to change, to help, to fight for people's rights. On the road, I collected information on social problems and the condition of women, religion, culture. I have also interviewed women who have become victims of rape and started working with refugees, immigrants, homeless and addicted people in Iceland. I feel it is my mission and responsibility to help them speak up and spread social awareness. 

 
Frames and words have become my way of manifesting myself and speaking to the world. By documenting, I make sure that what I close in the frame or written story remains and bears witness to itself. I deepen the interest in man, his individuality and human being in the context of nature and culture, in the context of places and time. Someone has to explain this world, build bridges, dissolve borders.

I am eager to get involved in what is extreme, visionary, creative and filled with value. Shall we cooperate? 

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Cooperations

Abroad
Sennheiser, Cokin France, Petzl, Scarpa, MEC, Onward Up, Organic Climbing, Climbing Anchors, UNW Outdoors Club, University of Bristol, Hive Climbing, Ice Rental 4x4

Poland
Milo, PAJAK, Fjord Nansen, Grimpi, Orbico Style (Merrell, CAT), Fundacja Himalaizmu Polskiego im. Andrzeja Zawady

Intervievs

Sennheiser: Discovering new climbing routes in the Caucasus Outdoor adventure in Armenia: Sennheiser reaches new heights…

Fjord Nansen: O "Projekt Armenia" rozmowa z Aleksandrą Wierzbowską.

Publications

National Geographic Magazine Poland: Lodowi Wojownicy 40 lat później. Niezwykłe obchody historycznego wejścia na Everest  (photos)

Fundacja Himalaizmu Polskiego im. Andrzeja Zawady: Gala - 40 lat zimowego Everestu (photos)

The Reykjavik Grapevine: Reclaiming The Power Of Tramp: Klassa Drusla (photo)

The Reykjavik Grapevine: Photos: #BlackLivesMatter Demonstration In Reykjavík (photos)

Royal Geographical Society: Project Armenia Microlectures (photos)

Squamish Climbing Magazine: Kim and Graham McGrenere Speaking At the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival TONIGHT (photos)

Transcaucasian: How One British Hiker Pioneered The First Rock Climbing Routes In An Armenian National Park (photos)

Epigram: Project Armenia: UBES/UBMC climbers bolt first ascents (photos)

Vimff: KIM & GRAHAM MCGRENERE lecture  (photos)

Wspinanie.pl: Project Armenia: wapienne ściany Dilijan (words & photos)

CRAG Magazine: Project Armenia (words & photos)

Taternik: Project Armenia – nieodkryte klify Dilijan! (words & photos)

Portalgorski.pl: Otworzyli nowy rejon wspinaczkowy w Armenii (words & photos)

Lectures

1. Internetowy Festiwal Górski Climb2Change: PROJECT ARMENIA: TWORZENIE NOWEGO REJONU WSPINACZKOWEGO NA DZIEWICZYCH ŚCIANACH OKIEM WSPINACZKA I DOKUMENTALISTY