Call of the Wild - Zaailand 1

Some people are born with it: a desire as indefinable as it is inconsumable, to be in close touch with nature, however comfortable, technologically advanced, artificial and all-encompassing our world may be. Instead of rationalizing this urge, or to label it as foolishly romantic or immature escapism, we should embrace it as something simple and positive.

Those who answer this ‘call of the wild’ may cite the current economical crisis or the decay of communal values as a motivation to live life off the grid, seeking renewed autonomy and self-reliance. Others speak of the need for a physical and spiritual reconnection to the life force of the planet. No matter what story they tell, what speaks through all is the wilderness that first and forever must be born with us before we can go out and seek it elsewhere.

Each of the invited photographers has been singled out for their deep personal connection to the work they present. Either they wish to share a visual testimony of their chosen lifestyle, or they have turned their lens to revisit the role nature has played in their upbringing.