An important theme in documentary photography is the fragile relationship between man and water, a bond that is eternal and inseparable, even when one lives far from nature, because dependence on water is everywhere. The exhibition “Breaking the Waves” presents photographic material by six Hungarian photographers whose central theme is water, or the lack of it. A common feature of the series is their focus on the importance of social responsibility, whether it is a local problem or a global issue.
Water can take many forms in our environment, it can be an element of an idyllic landscape, it can be a symbol of harmony between man and nature, it can be associated with myths, beliefs and rituals. But it can also be a thin trickle of water confined within a concrete bed, a green strip surrounded by barbed wire, a swirling, dirty body of water, an inaccessible and lifeless dead water, a monitored and heavily guarded border zone, a site of armed conflict and desertification, or a metaphor for the struggle for life.
The photo essays show the present of our connection to water, but they also give us a glimpse into the past of the areas shown and a vision of their future. The exhibition takes us to landscapes far away from us, to Nicaragua, the island of Majuli, Brazil, Turkey and other countries in Europe, but also focuses on our immediate surroundings, the landscapes and waters of neighbouring Carpathia and Hungary. The series will cover topics such as erosion control, water demand for the cultivation of native plants, the ecological footprint of water use, the consequences of unsustainable mining, the environmental impact of the drying up of natural water bodies and the unforeseen consequences of river regulation. But beyond the problem-focused themes, all the images are also about being part of nature, interacting with it, fitting in or opposing it, enjoying its opportunities or suffering from its handicaps.
Exhibiting artists: Zsolt Balázs, Róbert László Bácsi, Márton Kállai, Zoltán Molnár, László Végh, András Zoltai