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.
Latest on Huck
Petition to save the Prince Charles Cinema signed by over 100,000 people in a day
PCC forever — The Soho institution has claimed its landlord, Zedwell LSQ Ltd, is demanding the insertion of a break clause that would leave it “under permanent threat of closure”.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Remembering Taboo, the party that reshaped ’80s London nightlife
Glitter on the floor — Curators Martin Green and NJ Stevenson revisit Leigh Bowery’s legendary night, a space for wild expression that reimagined partying and fashion.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
A timeless, dynamic view of the Highland Games
Long Walk Home — Robbie Lawrence travelled to the historic sporting events across Scotland and the USA, hoping to learn about cultural nationalism. He ended up capturing a wholesome, analogue experience rarely found in the modern age.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The rave salvaging toilets for London’s queers
Happy Endings — Public bathrooms have long been contested spaces for LGBTQ+ communities, and rising transphobia is seeing them come under scrutiny. With the infamous rave-in-a-bog at an east London institution, its party-goers are claiming them for their own.
Written by: Ben Smoke
Baghdad’s first skatepark set to open next week
Make Life Skate Life — Opening to the public on February 1, it will be located at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the city centre and free-of-charge to use.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Nydia Blas explores Black power and pride via family portraits
Love, You Came from Greatness — For her first major monograph, the photographer and educator returned to her hometown of Ithaca, New York, to create a layered, intergenerational portrait of its African American families and community.
Written by: Miss Rosen