Alex Tomazatos – Bucharest North

“Bucharest North was started by chance when I took someone to the train, one July evening. The blue dusk light mixed with the lights dangling above the platforms intrigued me that evening. Returning the next day, an experiment commenced. The colors that attracted me a night before were nowhere.

This place has always had a constant presence in my mind. The media contributed a lot during the years to the collection of urban stories and prejudices woven around the biggest train terminal in the country, a place where almost anyone who “comes from the province” passes through at least once. Always bustling with life, a vortex of mixtures for all five senses. Pretty girls, bored policemen, dubious types, transvestites, students, junkies, pilgrims, commuters. People come, people go, some everyday, some loose the train forever and never leave, as if the train station is enchanted, “magic” as a man one day told me.

What is to become of this small project, that I don’t know. It is a personal curiosity, that on most occasions takes me far out from my comfort zone, especially in approaching what I want to photograph. It’s a place that imposes skepticism and awareness, but where I can let go of circumspection when the lights are out, the smell is heavy and I must rely on hearing more than usual.” – Alex Tomazatos

It’s very easy to get lost in a train station – both figuratively and literally. The symbolism of this place is a very powerful one. Its history takes us back a while. Generally speaking, the people around here are a very delicate subject to portrait. So the photographer’s task is not an easy one though the start of this series shows a very interesting and personal approach to a somehow impersonal topic. “Bucharest North” is the latest on-going series from Alex Tomazatos. You can view more photos and updates on the photographer’s site: http://www.tomazatos.ro/

Cristian Bassa