The Soviet Utopia: sending your hard-working state citizens on a health holiday to one of the empire's many sanatoria. Originally conceived in the 1920s these USSR sanatoria offered a combination of health & medical benefits alongside thermal baths and spas.
It's 2019 and these sanatoria became curious relics of the former USSR. They no longer serve any purpose other than being vestiges of another era. Some buildings house refugees whom were displaced from their homes during the Abkhazian-Georgian war.
Reginald Van de Velde (Belgium, 1975) scouts the unknown & unseen. As a wanderer of wastelands he journeys all over the world, trying to capture the momentum of splendour still undisturbed by the turmoil and temptations of modern society. He is a vagabond for lost beauty, a chronicler of forgotten magnificence.
Awards - Aesthetica Art Prize 2018, York, UK: finalist
- Moscow International Foto Awards 2017, Russia: winner Architecture
- Athens Photo Festival 2017, Greece: selected for Photo-book Exhibition
- IPA International Photography Awards 2016: two honourable mentions
- Siena International Photography Awards 2016, Siena, Italy: finalist
- Athens Photo Festival 2016, Greece: shortlisted
- Seoul International Photo Festival 2015, South Korea: Grand Prix Winner
- Arte Laguna Art Prize 2015, Italy: shortlisted
- New York Photo Festival 2014, US: finalist
- Singapore International Photo Festival 2014, Singapore: selected for expo
- Backlight Photo Festival 2014, Finland: selected for expo
- Kontinent Photography Awards 2014, Turkey: 2nd place Fine Art Projects
- Grand Prix de la Découverte 2013, France: winner Juror Award of Merit
- Mostovna Photography Contest 2013, Slovenia: winner
- Prix de la Photographie 2013, France: honorable mention
- Singapore International Photo Festival 2012, Singapore: selected for expo
- Wunderman Global Photography Competition 2012, US: shortlisted
- National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest 2012, US: editors’ favourites
- Eyes on Society Photography Contest 2012, Belgium: winner
- Canvascollectie 2012, Belgium: selection first round at S.M.A.K.
- National Geographic Photography Contest 2011, US: editors’ favourites
- Cannes Lions International Festival 2011, France: winner
- Fotofestival Knokke-Heist 2011, Belgium: finalist
- World Photography Awards 2011, UK: finalist, highly commended
- Environmental Photographer of the Year 2010, UK: finalist, highly commended
- Canvascollectie 2010, Belgium: selection first round at S.M.A.K.
- Fotofestival Knokke-Heist 2010, Belgium: finalist
- World Photography Awards 2009, UK: amateur photo of the month
- De Film Van Mijn Leven 2009, Belgium: finalist
