Saved from Oblivion

The story of human kind is written by the everlasting memory of generations.

On the surface of reality there are ways to mark the history with dates, names and events. The eternal remembrance find its place in inscriptions, such as those that are found on the tombstones, matzevah.

A trip to the Old Jewish Cemetery in small town Cieszyn, in southern part of Poland as well as the one in Prague, Czech Republic evoked the emotions of sadness, nostalgia, and musing.

The time seemed to stop there, the silence around was embracing the untold stories and the stones seemed to be integrated peacefully with overgrown bushes and trees. The contrast between the stillness of tombstones with the energy and vitality of nature was creating very poetic and visual narrative.

But the realization that this place, like many other places in the world, needs to be saved from oblivion for the sake of human memories, for the continuity of history, and universal human dignity. Photographing the intangible silence, yet powerful presence of history, I tried to capture the essence of the atmosphere of both these places.