Mythic Karelia, a treasure of poetry, a heart of Finnish language, an idyllic museum of an ancient past. With these words Karelia was described at the end of 19th century during the time of romantic Karelianism. Nowadays Karelia is a border district – it is one nature, but, as one of the orders of EU, a politically and socially divided region.
Russian photographer Anastasia Khoroshilova and Finnish photographer Jaakko Heikkilä have worked separately but made together their view of Karelia today. Jaakko, like a poem collector from the 19 th century, was visiting homes and families, sitting with people and listening.
Anastasia asked people to lead her through the Karelian history and present by their personal stories: Finnish – Russian cities, northern landscapes, war, white-sea canal, industry, everyday issues, and legends … As a result there is an interesting artistic book of anthropology, family stories, and thoughts of past and today.
Karelia – the wasteland, borderland, no mans land of today? No, it is still the romantic heart of poetry with hard and a sad history.


ISBN 978-3-86828-513-0