Homeland. The Longest Village in the Country

Homeland serves as a nostalgic representation of the place and memories in the longest village in Latvia and its recent history from World War II until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. As the Iron Curtain fell, the local economy changed, and in 2004, upon joining the EU, it changed again. These historical shifts made a huge impact on the society and its dreams, many of which the younger generations abandoned.

After being away for many years, I decided to return and revisit my homeland through photography, trying to retrace the landscape, and evoke the memories and emotions of the local people.

The village seemed to become a metaphor for a way of life or the fleet of time – the past, present and future – and for how time affects and changes our sense of place.

Georgs Avetisjans (1985) is a UK-based photographer from Latvia. This year he graduated from the University of Brighton with a Master’s Degree in Photography. He has had several exhibitions in Latvia and the UK and recently has self-published his book Homeland.