Jacek Kaczmarski’s life – after death – turned upside down, or the media discourse surrounding Patrycja Volny’s book Niewygodna. Autobiografia [Inconvenient. An Autobiography]

Abstract

This article reflects on the current status of autobiographical writing, on the example of Patrycja Volna’s book Niewygodna. Autobiografia. Publications in traditional media and social media reactions have shown that works bearing the emblem of autobiography are treated unreflectively as confessions of truth, inciting greater emotions the more sensational their content. Patrycja Volny arouses particular interest as the daughter of a well-known and respected artist, and her confessions attract attention, positioning the author in relation to other participants in the media discourse. A combination of market, media, and ideological circumstances overlap with the original intentions, turning the confessional genre into an object of market games, on a par with other products of the culture industry.