Ezra Bohm, Nederlandse Acedemie voor Beeldcreatie, Netherlands

The Identity of Holland

In this series I’ve photographed the last remaining traditional costumes of the Netherlands, to celebrate and cherish the country’s ancient culture. These groups have a few things in common that we often miss in modern society: togetherness, authenticity and shared pride.

Today we live in a time where individualism, social pressure and a drive for achievement have taken over. Many city dwellers are disconnected from their cultural roots and feel alienated in a society full of global citizens. By elevating these communities, I hope that people will look for their own cultural roots again.

In my romanticised images I create a world which I think is perfect, a world I would like to be a part of. These cultures are full of extraordinarily detailed clothing in which each part has its own meaning and tells a story about the history of its culture.