Davin Ellicson – Bucharest Women
“By 1989, Romania was a police state akin to North Korea with the feared Securitate (secret police) waging a war of psychological oppression against ordinary Romanians. Ceausescu starved his own people and, at the end, shops were empty and electricity and heat intermittent. While economic progress was slow in the 1990s, the last five years have seen astounding change as banks began to make loans and the entire population went on a shopping spree for the first time. Almost overnight top of the range BMWs and Mercedes flooded the streets and trendy cafes and restaurants opened everywhere.
Bucharest’s women provide particular insight into this transformation.”
Bucharest, Romania, 2010.
A fashion show at The Hilton Hotel in honor of Alexander McQueen with Romania’s best designers.
Bucharest, Romania, 2009.
A woman entering an expensive clothing store on Calea Victoriei, the historic main street in Bucharest. In the last 5 years a frenzied consumer culture has developed in Bucharest and luxury stores have opened along the street leading to the rise of the nouveaux riche or ‘fitze’ crowd as they are known locally.
Bucharest, Romania, 2009.
Twins, Irina and Iulia, who are 20 and from the northern city of Suceava but studying in Bucharest.
Bucharest, Romania, 2009.
Young women on the top floor terrace at an exhibition opening at Point Contemporary, a prominent new art gallery in Bucharest. The city is just now leaving it’s Communist past behind and a vibrant art and cultural scene is emerging with many exhibition openings and screenings appearing each week.
Bucharest, Romania, 2009.
A young woman at an underground music event in a dilapidated building in central Bucharest. In recent years both a commercial club scene as well as an underground music circuit has rapidly developed in Bucharest.
Bucharest, Romania, 2009.
Saturday night at The Opium Stage Club below a passageway in the Old Town of Bucharest known as Lipscani. The area experienced a revival in summer 2009 when scores of cafes, bars and clubs suddenly opened. Complex ownership agreements related to the buildings left over from the Communist era and poor city oversight had hampered rennovation and still do to some degree.
Join American photographer Davin Ellicson for an intensive street photography workshop in June, 18 & 19 (week-end), 2011 in Bucharest.
More details on www.fundatiacaleavictoriei.ro
More images and other interesting projects about Romania on Davin Ellicson’s website