On the surface the geographical and cultural differences between my native country, Israel, and my current home country, Finland, seem obvious. As time goes by the psychological boundaries, however, are defined by experiences and feelings rather than physical realities. Sometimes the distance between the two disappears altogether.
The point of the exhibition is to make visible the ”double exposure” of the mind that is the result of living in and between two cultures. It is the intuitive visual reflection of two worlds merging into one. A personal experience of different things complementing one another.
Immigrating is a crash course in adaptation. Only after that process it is possible to relate to your two home countries in a balanced way without contradictions. You see the similarities, accept the differences and learn to appreciate the unique characteristics of both places. That is when one is no more half Israeli, half Finn but fully both.
The works of this collection are composed of two images, one photographed in Israel, the other in Finland. The photos were taken between 1980-2005.
Selecting and combining the pictures from a rather large archive has been a long and interesting project. Like a journey back to the moments, people and landscapes that have left their mark in my personal and professional life. The choice of the original photos and the atmosphere of the ready images was greatly affected by the loss of both my father and a dear friend. I dedicate this work to them.
2005
Uzi Varon