Breaking the Waves

My long-term documentary series titled ‘You Can Flood Me, I’ll be Here’ is currently on show as part of a group exhibition in Budapest, Hungary — ‘Breaking the Waves - Hungarian photographers on water and man

Exhibiting artists: Balázs Zsolt, Bácsi Róbert László, Kállai Márton, Molnár Zoltán, Végh László, Zoltai András
Curator: Katalin KOPIN art historian
Venue: Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center

An important theme in documentary photography is the delicate relationship between humans and water. This timeless and inseparable bond persists, even for those who live far from nature, as dependence on water is ubiquitous. The exhibition showcases photo series by six Hungarian photographers that focus on water, or rather, its scarcity. A common feature of the series is to raise awareness about the importance of social responsibility, whether by depicting local issues or addressing global concerns.
Water can take many forms in our environment. It can be a part of an idyllic landscape, a reflection of harmony between humans and nature, or be associated with myths, beliefs, and rituals. However, it can also be a thinly flowing vein confined to a concrete bed, a green strip surrounded by barbed wire, a swirling, polluted body of water, inaccessible and devoid of life, a border zone monitored and heavily guarded, a terrain of armed conflict and desertification, or a metaphor for the struggle for life.

The photo essays depict our current relationship with water, while also showcasing the history of the places captured and offering insight into their future development. The exhibition features images from faraway places such as Nicaragua, the island of Majuli, Brazil, Turkey, and various European countries, and also focuses on our immediate surroundings, the landscapes and waters of Transcarpathia and Hungary. The various series outline issues such as erosion control, the water demand for native plant cultivation, the ecological footprint of water use, the consequences of unsustainable mining, the environmental impact of drying natural water bodies, and the unforeseeable consequences of river regulation. Alongside these issue-based themes, the images also speak to how humans are part of nature: how they interact with it, blend into it, or resist it, and how they enjoy or suffer from the gifts and opportunities that nature offers.