Zenon Mirota first entered the Gdansk Shipyard in 1953 and has been photographing it ever since.

For over 50 years he worked in the shipyard's photographic studio. His duty was to copy technical documentation and document the institution's work, especially the ship production. He has been fascinated with shipyard's space and liveliness. His photographs show the vivid life of this huge production company: workers enjoying themselves during the break, official inspections or spectacular launching of ready-made ships.

In 1980 Mirota photographed the strike in Gdansk Shipyard. His pictures show protesting Shipyard workers, local habitants who gave their support to the protesters, numerous signs painted on the walls, but also the everyday life in the context of the strike (like the famous photo of a woman pushing the stroller along the Shipyard wall, from which she is watched by the workers).

But the historical worth is just one side of a great value lying in Mirota's photographs. In industrial, noisy and dirty space of a shipyard Mirota found beauty and inspiration for highly artistic creations. Some of his photos are the testimony to the highest aesthetic aspirations and quite abstract images.

Photographs by Zenon Mirota make the part of Photographic Collection of European Solidarity Centre, which organised a special exhibition devoted solely to his remarkable works. His affection for the Gdansk Shipyard has never disappeared and he still photographs it, documenting the changes it undergoes.