Enschede Zuid Tetem Fotomanifestatie

Enschede-Zuid, 2023. Pigment print.

The photo series originated in 2020 when Ilja strongly yearned for a world that provided him with stability. At that time, he was a member of Extinction Rebellion, coinciding with the onset of the first COVID-19 lockdown. During that period, his focus turned toward the human footprint left on the world.

In Enschede-Zuid, he photographs buildings, streets, trash cans, cars, and people, all from a distance. The housing blocks and repetitive forms and lines remind him of his home in Riga, Latvia. The familiar visual language enables him to slowly view the world and society with a gentler perspective and refocus on the future.

Ilja Kolosovs' exhibition is part of Fotomanifestatie Enschede 2023, a photo festival focused on contemporary Dutch photography. The 2023 theme was Human Landscapes, presenting perspectives on how we interact with and shape our landscapes.