Bet­ween 2006 and 2007, Bel­gian pho­to­gra­pher Nick Han­nes spent a year tra­vel­ling throu­gh the fif­teen for­mer Soviet repu­blics, sear­ching for tra­ces of the past and signs of social tran­si­tion. Red Jour­ney unveils how the­se coun­tries are attemp­ting to rede­fi­ne their natio­nal iden­ti­ties fol­lo­wing the dis­so­lu­tion of the com­mu­ni­st bloc. Han­nes cap­tu­res the region’s stri­king jux­ta­po­si­tions by pho­to­gra­phing lavish opu­len­ce amid­st extre­me pover­ty, unbrid­led urban renewal that ren­ders depri­ved nei­gh­bou­rhoods even more con­spi­cuous, and the flam­boyant cul­ts of per­so­na­li­ty sur­roun­ding new dic­ta­tors — all unfol­ding again­st a bac­k­drop of faded gran­deur.

Red Jour­ney was publi­shed in 2009 by Lan­noo Publi­shers Bel­gium and is avai­la­ble to pur­cha­se from Nick’s onli­ne shop at www.nickhannes.be for 40€.