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Ester Jove Soligue

Photographer
    
Somewhere in Between
Location: New York
Nationality: Spanish
Biography: Ester Jove Soligue (b.1978)  is a documentary photographer and photojournalist based in New York City.  In her personal work Ester explores communities who choose an unconventional and daring way of living. She also is interested in... MORE
Private Story
Somewhere in Between
Copyright Ester Jove Soligue 2024
Date of Work Feb 2012 - Ongoing
Updated Feb 2020
Location Maro, Spain
Topics Belief, Children, Czech family, daring family, Documentary, Family, flamenco, Freedom, gypsies, journey, Lifestyle, Motherhood, off the grid, Parenting & Family, patriarchal family, Photography, Spotlight
Simona and Petr got married two years after graduating from the University of Prague. Five years later, once their third child was born, they decided to trade the cold winters of the Czech Republic for the warmer climes of Southern Italy. Organically, they started a transition, and bought a mobile home and left behind the structured European social system, creating their own rules, living their own definition of freedom. Along the road, they have had nine children.

Petr is known for his philosophical ideas and eccentric behavior. As a traditional patriarchal family, Petr educates their children with strict rules while Simona, being in the center, has a close-knit relationship with them. They both have very strong convictions and believe that nothing is more important than loyalty and commitment to the family unit. While all 11 of them sleep inside the mobile home, they use the outdoors space as a space that has no limits and use nature in their surroundings as their stimulation, imagination and discovery.

The family spends most of the year in the South of Spain but returns to their property in the mountains of South Bohemia each summer. Dora, the eldest daughter, is the first member to leave the family. She has started her own family with a farmer, Jaroslav, who’s from a village near the family's property.

The photographs have taken place in the South of Spain, South of Czech Republic and South of France. I feel this work is only at the beginning of its journey, since I am intrigued whether the children will follow in their parents’ footsteps, and how it will be the future for Petr and Simona as they grow older.

‘Somewhere in between’ is a heart-felt project, not because I admire the family's style of life, but because they are a daring family who follows their convictions.  
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