“They danced in a different way” is an examination of memory, nostalgia and cultural projections, seeking to provide insights into the lives of people that continue to practice ancestral rituals and wear traditional attire in Europe.
My photographs are glimpses of people’s lives, documenting stories of individuals and communities from different regions of Romania.
The red thread that connects all these narratives, including my own, is represented by the Romanian peasant textiles and archaic traditions. Folk textiles could be regarded as an interplay between invention, innovation and ancient heritage transmitted from generation to generation, acting as symbols produced over centuries of cultural exchange.
I am captivated by the Romanian pre-Christian rites that have survived throughout the historic ages, due to complex socio-political, historical and cultural factors. My intention is to place a light on the customs of the country, investigating how the identities are built and influenced by the interweave between the modern world, perceptions and inherited culture.
Although many aspects of a culture could be considered unfamiliar, ultimately we are all bound by the same primordial feelings, love, hopes, and fears.

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