photos

The Second North American Expedition: Minnesota 2004

This photo series records life, people and events in Minnesota during June-November 2004. Politics, advertising, folk art and architecture are among the mediums that reflect the ideas and atmosphere that I witnessed. The images were displayed at the Museum of Occupations as a digital slideshow, and at the Ulemiste supermarket, Tallinn, as printed pictures. Partly, the show came as a response to my American friends' request: "Tell them in Europe that we're not all crazy over here..."

It also attempts to capture the spirit of the present time - the thoughts and the concerns of the people. Some photos portray representatives of different subcultures. A glimpse of "local colour" can be had through images of various events - Independence Day, Minnesota State Fair, Day of the Dead, music festivals, religious gatherings, poliical rallies etc.
Lots of the images do seem extreme and weird. My point is, weirdness is global, but some nationalities hide it less than others. Americans, being open about their views and preferences, commonly display their opinion for the public on lawn signs, cars, artwork and so on.
Every possible point of view find its own niche and develops its own subculture - the New Hippies lead a "green" lifestyle, the Nouveau Riche surround themselves with security and fences, the New Urbanists are reviving downtown areas, the Satanists gather in secrecy...
I witnessed a sharp divide between the political Right and Left, a split that has been growing in the last decade, and is emphasized both by the elections and by the war in Iraq. Both "liberal" and "conservative" have become curse words. East Coast distrusts the Midwest, and vice versa.

How does one characterize Minnesota? A cool, Nordic country, laid back and homegrown; with a large Scandinavian population and recognizable Lutheran work ethics. When a Minnesotan says - "Oh, you really don't have to bother" it may mean "Yes, please", and the highest praise might sound like "not too bad." If the streets weren't so straight and the distances so long, one could imagine being in Estonia.
"This is so EURO!" - I heard the girls commenting on techno-style neon outfits. Europeans are seen as being over-refined and uncomfortably elegant. In Minnesota, things are supposed to be rather functional than stylish.
When a Minnesotan compares himself to his nearest neighbors - Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas - he usually sees himself as more civilized; he takes pride in Minnesota's well-developed education system (the university alone has 20 000 employees) and medical facilities. The relationship is similar to that of Estonains to the Latvians.

Some Minnesota specialties include:
Minnesota Nice - an especially polite way of communication.
Supermarket - the rough climate has given birth to the world's first strip mall, and Mall of America - the largest in the States.
Skyway - another climatically induced phenomenon, consisting of corridors that link most of the downtown buildings into one large network.
Public Radio - financed largely by donations from the listeners, it has spread from Minnesota into numerous other states.
Spam - not junk mail, but a canned meat dish.
Writer: Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
Pilot: Charles Lindbergh.
Comic strip: Peanuts, or Charlie Brown and his friends.
Celebrities: Bob Dylan, Richard Dean Anderson, and the artist formerly known as Prince.
Movie: Grumpy Old Men - a good presentation of the local milieu; also introducing an archetypal Minnesotan character, the Geyser, or Norwegian Bachelor - a tough guy indeed.
If there's something Minnesotans are never happy about, it's the weather. They're putting lots of imagination into guesswork over why God gave them such a darn place to live in. At least something we in Estonia have had more luck with.

Of the people I met
This year, I worked on an organic farm; a place where farming was a mission, not just a way of life. The farmer Greg had, as a young philosophy student, always dreamed of his own farm, and then made it come true. He and like-minded people are searching for a balanced lifestyle, one that would be less harmful to the Earth. They include farmers, co-ops, retaurants, artists, political activists and organizations. Their roots are in the hippie movement of the 60s; differently from the hippies, their focus is less on music and drugs, more on practical activities. They are not numerous, but their existence gives me hope.

On tour
We took a car from Minneapolis to the East Coast, passing Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Some of the photos are from the trip, but many sights stay in memory only; the camera cannot capture everything.

Myths about America - are they true?
1. You can't live without a car.
Some can, but with difficulty - it is harder to find work, and to get to work. The area of the Twin Cities equals that of Saaremaa. Bicycling is an option in summer.
2. Americans buy everything from the store.
Maybe they do in New York. In Minnesota, however, gardening and pickling seem popular. I also know a girl who raises three chickens in her backyard.
3.Their friendliness is superficial.
More so in big cities than elsewhere. But - privacy is highly valued. There's a time to be with people, and time to be alone.
4. A consumer society of general well-being.
The economy is down - and so is consumption. Magazines that give advice on saving have become widespread. 15% of the people dont't even have health insurance.
5. A land of opportunity.
Probably true. A German-born realtor confessed to me: she never would have made it so well in her homeland - there, you have to belong to a "club;" America is more open to newcomers. Kids are raised to believe in themselves, and to cooperate with others.
Last but not least: for a photographer, America is a land of golden opportunities.

Another series from MN, photographed a year earlier: >>>