Rest Behind the Curtain

Just like us, Michal Solarski grew up behind the Iron Curtain. It’s an experience that will always be a part of us. I have only recently realized that it was something I was trying to hide and ignore. Most of my life was spent under the rules of the “West” anyway.

I had to come across Michal’s project “Rest behind the Iron Curtain” documenting his journey to the then-most popular holiday resorts in Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union states to be reminded, and finally, accept the local summer spirit.

Summer is our most beloved season. It’s active and meant to be spent outdoors. Water is its key element, and the sun must shine. Michal’s pictures venture further east than where I come from, but the magnificence and importance of summer are the very same.

Michal traveled to places where time has stopped. His photographs capture long gone eras, yet in our experiences and memories, they will always remain with us. If you were just like us, born behind the Iron Curtain, enjoy your journey back in time and accept it for what it once was.