Exploring the deserted depths of the Swedish countryside
For the last 10 years, Jan Töve has been visiting Västergötland – a sprawling, snow-ravaged region located in the south of Sweden. The photographer, who grew up in the area, was curious to return and capture the changing face of his childhood home. “My starting point was to dig deeper into what I know,” he tells Huck. “I was trying to look with new eyes, and cure the home blindness.”
Töve’s photos of the region, taken between 2007 to 2016, have now been pulled together for a new book called Faraway/Nearby. Published by Hatje Cantz, it offers a diverse portrait of rural life in Sweden; mixing shots of locals, landscapes, and the ever-changing natural climate.
“The rural life has a calmer pace,” Töve explains. “The social codes are a little different. People who live here their entire lives often make spontaneous visits to each other, drink a cup of coffee, or talk for a while.”
The project eventually led the photographer to return to Västergötland permanently. Tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, he got seduced by the region’s charm, as well as its strong sense of tradition, and the open nature of the locals.“People in the countryside show their curiosity more openly,” he says. “They can stand staring at you when you pass or stop. It never happens in the city.”
“I think there is also an unprecedented fear and suspicion of what breaks the pattern and the norm, but when you get to know people, you soon discover that it’s not very deep,” the photographer adds. “The warmth and openness that I have often met are both surprising and pleasing.”
Jan Töve’s Faraway/Nearby is available now on Hatje Cantz.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Halloween in Brooklyn, photographed over 50 years
Spirits and soul — Larry Racioppo’s new book documents half a century of the October festivities in New York, while tracing the city’s ever-changing character.
Cruising on the West Side Piers, New York’s wild side
West Side Highway — In the late 20th century, the area was an if-you-know-you-know hotspot for the city’s gay scene. William Howell’s new photobook immortalises it.
Ahilya Bamroo is Gen Z India’s authentic ambassador
Reel relatable — The influencer turned actor speaks about trolls, beauty standards and youth activism.
What went down at Huck’s 20th birthday party
84 issues and counting — We took over east London’s Jaguar Shoes with friends old and new to celebrate two decades and our new issue, with Tony Bontana taking the decks for a special set.
Photos of friends, lovers and afters in Berlin’s party scene
Dreams and How to Keep Them – Vincent Wechselberger’s new monograph documents a decade of hedonism in the German capital, and the people he met along the way.
Inside the Los Angeles scene kid revival
The Rawring ’20s — For the cover of Huck 84, photographer Alexis Gross and writer Anna Zanes meet the latest faces of scene, who are finding freedom to express themselves through its technicolour, unafraid aesthetic.
