Tradition On The Wall

The third exhibition I visited two weeks ago was a photo exhibition, a special one in so many ways. It was a solo exhibition of Zsolt Bikfalvi, a very talented Transylvanian photographer, who gathered these photos along the years.

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Szilágy, or Sălaj, which is the official, Romanian name, is a Transylvanian county, with a Hungarian population of 20% and great tradition, which is changing and unfortunately with the new generation mainly focusing on totally different things, it's going to become history. Which is why these photos I'm going to show you, are testimony of the tradition and are going to become testimony of the past as well, pretty soon.

This part of the gallery is mostly hosting photo exhibitions and I'm always excited to visit, but it's always the biggest worry of mine and when I step in the first room, the first feeling is either happiness, or a bit of anger. Unfortunately many photos are displayed with a glass cover, which ruins everything, but this time I was really lucky.

My hope is that in the near future photos will be printed on canvas and I'll be saved of all the struggle glare and reflection is causing me.

The exhibition is called "Bumpy old Szilágy", inspired by one of the poems written by Endre Ady, one of the most famous Hungarian poets.

Unconditional Love

Hats off, unconditional love perfectly captured I'd say and it's not a scene you can capture every day. It's impressive to see such a bond and love between an animal and a human, especially at that age.

Confirmands

They don't look happy, but photography is about capturing the moment, not faking happiness, so the more authentic, the better.

Something Is Brewing

This shot worth a million bucks. First, the face expression of the two kids, then the position and framing. You need to have a good eye to position them where they are. Just perfect.

In Each Other's Eyes

At first I thought it's a wedding photo, with a bride and a groom. It could very well be as in those parts of the world, tradition is taken seriously and folk costumes can be used as wedding dresses. The photo is epic, not just due to the costume, but the joy on their faces and the authentic house in the background. However, there's a small alignment problem, that is a bit bothering, but it happens.

Apologies for the light.

This was another interesting and fantastic photo. The framing is perfect the two people's position is also perfect. I love how the girl is smiling while the guy is totally serious. What surprised me is their costume. Men in Transylvania don't wear skirts, but maybe I'm not familiar with all the folk costumes. Love the photo.

A Pure Soul

Or old and new, as I'd call this photo. Look at the background. That arched section of the wall, with the ceramic vases, that is the part of the church that has been preserved in its original state, that most likely dates back to medieval times. The girl represents the new era, the present. Perfect setting! You need to have some talent to see the opportunity and take the photo.

Left Alone

I hate cliches, like a picture worth a thousand words, but this photo really says a lot if you know how to read it. The church is usually the place where most people sit down, look inside themselves and try to solve their problems. This man looks like buried under the weight of his own problems. Love the framing, the old wooden balcony with all the prayers and the embroidery.

This is the first part of the exhibition, but there's more. Let me know what you think and which one is your favorite. I know folk costumes are very different and you can not find two in one region, so let me know if you've seen such ones.

If you're a newbie, you may want to check out these guides:

Tradition On The Wall

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