Dorf

In the 19th century, the Croatian region of Slavonia is being inhabited by people from all nations of the Austro-Hungary empire. Fast economic development begins with the exploitation of forests and land. Villages became an elementary demographic unit. German colonists made the largest cultural impact through language, crafts, and architecture. Instead of building with mud, people started to build with baked bricks which raised the quality of life. The houses were built by peasants and decorated with incompatible ornaments of neo-historicism and secession, so every house was unique.

The irony of history is that today, due to the destroyed industry, the population is leaving Slavonia and going to Germany in search of a better life. With the extinction of the village, the historic houses that became part of the cultural identity are the first to decay.

By photomontage of houses and local nature, I emphasize the architecture, the destructive force of nature, and the rural character of the region. "Dorf" is the German word for village.

The series has won numerous awards, including the first place in the Sony World Photography Award in the professional competition Architecture category, and has been exhibited in galleries around the world.