The problem of communism and post communism countries is they did a lot of things but they just did it for “the picture” and they let it crumble. Luc Lagniau

Some grass, some music and some photography. Luc Lagniau and his guitar chat with me for a while. He is majoring in politics science and living in American University in Bulgaria as a real sophomore for nine months [after he will come back to his France].  What about live in AUBG bubble? What about outside world? It’s a sunny day in Bulgaria, perfect afternoon to talk about… whatever, for example, what these [my] pictures inspire to Luc Lagniau.

Showing him my most suggesting photos, the more I love. Let’s do it. We both we are excited. Four photos with someone.

Number One. First picture was taken in Blagoevgrad cemetery. The very first word come to Luc is “stuck”, immobile in the past.

Cemetery in Blagoevgrad

 “just looking at this picture you can see the respect they have for their ancestors”

But actually, he prefers thinking about the future because past it is already gone.

Number Two. In this photo you see some houses from Blagoevgrad by the river. Luc thinks about communism. “Why I ask him?” Communism is like you can see in these houses, that in their time they were great but they are neither colorful nor beautiful anymore. Now they are crumbling. You see the houses are crumbling and there’s no evolution to get back to the last picture.

Houses in Blagoevgrad

Number Three. In this case there’s a green truck. It looks like old style. It is located in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. In Bulgaria everything looks like twenty years ago. This truck it’s a cliché. How occidental people imagine a post-communist country? It is that way. For some reason it’s beautiful [and mean] for occidental minds think post-communist countries they are ruined because we think “oh… we are the best civilization…” It means…  Did we win? Did we?

Green truck in Blagoevgrad

Number Four. This picture was taken in Istanbul [half Asian zone] where a group of covered Muslim girls were friendly chatting. They never noticed me.

Girls group in Istanbul

Luc is quick about the word [or expression] I am trying to find out: “Learn about it”. At first, he considers the hijab [turban] it was the antithesis of fashion. But after… it becomes something beautiful.

“They take something impersonal because it’s like a religious symbol. And then, these girls, they made it personal. Like they take something with customization, with patterns, colors, everything and it’s to make it something a part of themselves.”

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I really enjoy that interview and for the ones they want to read more and more the interview doesn’t finish here… In the long audio version Luc Lagniau talk about some other photos like the one taken in Rila’s Monastery, a traditional market in Bansko, ruins in Blagoevgrad…

It’s funny how we can catch something trough the lens that probably is just a minuscule part of truth and after someone find out something… different from me. It is comforting see brains working an walking in different ways.

Thank you very much again to Laura Brennan [always helping me] and of course, to Luc Lagniau [keep the name, he will be great].