Arts and Crafts History Photography
#Ashley Szuszczynski #costume #Europe #indigenous culture #mask
August 26, 2024
Kate Moses
“Statsi”, Voinyagovo village, Karlovo city, Plovdiv province, Bulgaria. All images © Ashley Sushchinski, used with permission.
As a child, Ashley Szuczynski would draw lots of pictures in her school notebooks and escape into the fantasy worlds of books. “I loved the imaginative illustrations,” she tells Colossal. “Each story transported me to a new world, and I felt like I was detached from my own… Every page was full of magic and mystery, mythical monsters, talking animals, and immersive adventures into weird and wonderful worlds.”
Her fascination with legends and supernatural creatures continued into her adulthood, forming the foundation of Suszczynski's love of photography, folklore, and cultures from around the world. “A few years ago, I learned about a masked ball called La Vijanera that takes place in northern Spain,” she says. “The characters were people I'd imagined from the pages of the stories I'd read as a child.” Anthropomorphic furry creatures meet tree and forest spirits in astonishingly intricate, handmade costumes.
Suszczynski further explored European mask rites and rituals, learning about the unique characteristics, history and symbolism of each tradition. Festivals across the continent often center around common themes such as the cycle of seasons, life and death, and fertility, expressed through distinctive costumes. “Each small village seemed to have its own ancient rituals that continue to live on in modern society,” Suszczynski said.
As Suszczynski travels around the world to meet people who practice local customs, the main obstacle she often encounters is the language barrier. In small rural communities, people often only speak their native language. “There is very little information about these groups on the internet,” she says. “Finding them is always like a treasure hunt. Sometimes I drive to a village, take my phone to the town hall, and use Google Translate to ask the village mayor if they have masks. The townspeople are very supportive and often organized village groups with just a day or two of notice.”
“Kukeli”, Kolarovo village, Petrich city, Blagoevgrad province, Bulgaria
Among the characters Sushchinski meets on his travels are the Bulgarian Kukeri people (variations of which are sometimes called the Statsi or Chausi), whose elaborate headdresses and costumes made of wool, animal horns, embroidered cloth, bells and other ornaments invoke mystical powers to announce the new season and ward off evil spirits.
Getting the right images was the next big challenge. Suszczynski worked hard to stay comfortable talking to people who didn't speak the same language, and built close friendships along the way. “After almost every shoot, we'd go into someone's living room, share food and brandy together, laugh and learn from old photos,” she says.
Suszczynski emphasizes that her role, like that of the people she photographs, is that of a storyteller. Through the visual medium, she hopes to share her knowledge and understanding of ancient practices and further the preservation efforts of their heirs. “I want people to learn about lesser-known cultures, artifacts, ceremonies and rituals and how they have evolved over time and in an ever-changing world,” she says.
Suszczynski plans to photograph several festivals in Mexico and Latin America this winter, and just finished documenting the Virgin Carmen festival in Paucartambo, Peru. “I'm so grateful to every single person I photographed,” Suszczynski says. “I couldn't have done it without their passion and their time, energy and desire to share their culture.”
Find out more on the artists' websites and Instagram, and you might also enjoy Kilian Lasablière's short documentary “Kukeri” and Roberto de la Torre's portraits of the elaborate masked figures of Entróidos in northern Spain.
“Kukeli”, village of Opanet, city of Pleven, Bulgaria
“Chaushi” (Razlog, Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria)
“Jaramacho”, Navarracruz, Avila, Spain
“Vazovski Yumar”, Ivan Vazvo village, Kaloyanovo city, Plovdiv region, Bulgaria
“Srvakali”, Dolna Sekirna village, Breznik city, Bulgaria
“Tranga”, Bielsa, Huesca, Spain
#Ashley Szuszczynski #costume #Europe #indigenous culture #mask
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