Across the post-Soviet states, patriotism is growing as countries once united under the Soviet Union grapple with their new identities. In Latvia, a growing anti-Russian sentiment has emerged alongside patriotic pride, while in Ukraine a ban on Russian music by post-Soviet artists has sparked a shift towards Ukrainian-language songs. But not all citizens are embracing nationalist movements. In one Serbian neighborhood, residents paint over the government’s attempt to instill patriotism with their own symbols.
Through the eerie landscapes and intimate portraits captured by Latvian photographer Arnis Balčus, and the stories of citizens discovering and sometimes rejecting their countries’ new directions, Third Person delves into the complexities of a post-Soviet world. How are memories of the Soviet Union shaping national identities, and what are the consequences of a renewed sense of patriotism?”
