The project Upside & Down is a fun and playful photographic adventure into the lives of 70 famous actors, singers, and all sorts of amazing artists, showcased as an exhibition in the Slovak and Czech National Theaters. It offers a fresh perspective on these personalities living in a country that split into two: Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where I was born. What if you were to return to the country of your childhood for a year and create visual stories with those local icons you remember from your earliest days? You simply called them on the phone and invited them into your kitchen, including the president of the country. Most of the portraits were created in my rented apartment, where I set up a small photo studio. This project invites them to tap into their inner child, moving beyond the polished images they usually portray and revealing who they truly are beneath the surface.

Since this is a local endeavor, it’s helpful to know a bit about these figures to truly appreciate the magic they bring, otherwise, you might be lost in translation. I had the honor of photographing two presidents—an interesting experience, to say the least! But the real magic came when I met my three favorite ladies from childhood—the TV hosts who enchanted me with their night fairy tales. When I was photographing them, I completely melted. And that’s my fav photo!