WHEN THE WIND BLOWS EAST, 2017

The When the Wind Blows East series catches a glimpse of my quest to share my heritage with my daughters, so they can embrace their individuality, learn about their ancestors, and be proud of their multicultural upbringing.

The photographs were taken in 2017 in Hungary when I took my them to meet my family, especially the last immediate family member I had. Gisele was 96 years old and lived in the same house my father, George Jonas, lived in as a child. She has kept the place intact, so I felt traveling in time, as if I could feel my deceased father singing, dancing, and eating his favorite Hungarian food with us.

My father left Budapest in 1945 for a life of uncertainty when the Soviet Union took over Eastern Europe. As a result, I grew up listening to heartbreaking stories about World War II and the fantastic adventures he experienced prior to settling down in Brazil, where I was born. Even though his life fascinated me, I can relate to his stories better now that I have also left my homeland.

I went back to Hungary looking for my father. Little did I know that I was, in fact, searching for myself. Hopefully, by making these images, I have given my daughters a way to find him.