A photographer traveled from Sweden to the Appalachian Mountains in his mid-20s seeking solitude and photographic direction. Bluegrass music and family ties to America drew him to the region, and curiosity about St Charles prompted a visit after a warning not to go. St Charles had once supported ten coal mines but declined after closures, leaving only Bonny Blue operating and businesses shuttered. The photographer stayed in a motel, used a medium-format analogue camera, knocked on doors, and built intimate relationships with residents, especially the Taylor siblings, sustaining connections for two decades.
"I visited the Appalachian mountains for the first time in my mid-20s, after deciding I needed to get away from my inner circle in Sweden to find my way into photography. I felt I had to be by myself, just responding to things happening around me and not thinking about my daily life. America played a big part in my family history, and the Appalachians called to me in particular because at that time, around 2006, I'd been listening to a lot of bluegrass music."
"I wanted to get closer to people who lived in the place where it originated music has always been a big inspiration for me. While driving in the mountains with no particular destination in mind, I met a social worker"
Read at www.theguardian.com
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