Pastoral / Pastirski pejzaž

Pastoral: A Journey into Rural Timelessness Rural life photography

“Eternity was born in the countryside.” – Lucian Blaga

Pastoral is a photographic series that captures the essence of rural life, inspired by the profound words of Romanian philosopher and poet Lucian Blaga. Growing up in Bucharest — a city shaped by its fast pace and urban structures — I always felt the stark contrast between life in the capital and my childhood summers in Chiojdu, a picturesque village in Buzău County. As a child, this contrast felt almost surreal, as if two parallel worlds could coexist yet remain profoundly different. Over time, I began to appreciate the tranquility, the simplicity, and the deep connection with nature that define the countryside.

In the village, time moves differently. The golden sunlight seems warmer, the mountain air clears the lungs, and inspiration arrives effortlessly. Days unfold with the rhythmic crowing of roosters, the whisper of leaves in the wind, and the distant sound of cowbells. There is an inherent poetry in these details — a quiet beauty that urban life often overshadows.

From my earliest days as a photographer, I felt compelled to document this world. Pastoral is not just a visual narrative; it is an attempt to capture the soul of the village—the stillness of dawn, the innocence of children playing in open fields, the warmth of elders resting on wooden porches as they recall stories of long-gone times. Each photograph stands as a testament to the simplicity, resilience, and authenticity of rural life—a world where traditions endure and the modern rush feels irrelevant.

Through this series, I invite viewers to step into a space where time slows down, where nature and humanity coexist in harmony, and where the joy of life’s simplest pleasures emerges with clarity. Pastoral is more than a tribute to my own heritage; it is a celebration of a way of life whose quiet beauty holds a timeless allure.

Short bio of the author – Alexandra Gogu

Alexandra Gogu is a Romanian visual storyteller whose work blends nostalgia, anthropology, and poetic observation. With a background in visual anthropology and communication sciences, she explores identity and cultural memory through portraiture, rural narratives, and documentary sequences. Her photography has been exhibited in Romania and abroad, reflecting a refined sensitivity to human presence, landscape, and the emotions woven into everyday life.

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Pastoralna fotografija: Putovanje u ruralnu bezvremenost

„Večnost je rođena na selu.“ – Lucian Blaga

Pastoral je fotografska serija koja oslikava suštinu seoskog života, nadahnuta dubokim mislima rumunskog filozofa i pesnika Luciana Blage. Odrastajući u Bukureštu—gradu oblikovanom brzim ritmom i urbanim strukturama—uvek sam osećala snažan kontrast između života u prestonici i letnjih dana detinjstva provedenih u Chiojduu, slikovitom selu u okrugu Buzău. Kao dete, taj kontrast je delovao gotovo nestvarno, kao da dve stvarnosti postoje paralelno, ali žive potpuno različite živote. Vremenom sam zavolela mir, jednostavnost i duboku povezanost sa prirodom koja određuje seoski pejzaž.

U selu vreme teče drugačije. Zlatno svetlo je toplije, planinski vazduh lakše ulazi u pluća, a inspiracija dolazi bez napora. Dani su obeleženi ritmičnim kukurikanjem petlova, šuštanjem lišća na vetru i dalekim zvukom zvona sa krava. U tim sitnicama postoji posebna poezija — tiha lepota koju gradski život često potiskuje.

Od prvih fotografskih koraka osećala sam potrebu da zabeležim taj svet. Pastoral nije samo vizuelni narativ; to je pokušaj da se uhvati duša sela — tišina svitanja, nevinost dece koja trče širokim poljima, toplina starijih ljudi koji sede na drvenim tremovima i prepričavaju davna vremena. Svaka fotografija svedočanstvo je jednostavnosti, otpornosti i autentičnosti seoskog života — sveta u kojem tradicija istrajava, a savremena žurba gubi značaj.

Ovom serijom pozivam posmatrača da zakorači u prostor gde vreme usporava, gde priroda i čovek postoje u ravnoteži i gde se radost najjednostavnijih trenutaka ponovo otkriva. Pastoral je više od ličnog omaža; to je slavljenje načina života čija tiha lepota nosi neprolaznu privlačnost.

Kratka biografija –  Alexandra Gogu

Alexandra Gogu je rumunska vizuelna pripovedačica koja spaja nostalgiju, antropologiju i poetsko posmatranje sveta. Sa obrazovanjem iz vizuelne antropologije i komunikologije, istražuje identitet, kulturno sećanje i ruralne narative kroz portrete i dokumentarne serije. Njene fotografije izlagane su u Rumuniji i inostranstvu, prepoznatljive po suptilnosti, emociji i istančanom osećaju za ljudsku prisutnost i pejzaž.