A fishing village in the 1960s
"The pictures depict everyday life in a Norrbotten fishing village in the 1960s. Most photos were taken on the island of Great Räbben which is situated furthest out on the coast 20 miles (35 km) outside Piteå. This island has a very long history of hunting and fishing.
The island has a very long history of hunting and fishing. The first sealers hunted here about 1 600 years ago, in what was then a wind-swept reef. About 500 years ago they began to catch salmon and herring, and in the 1800s this was Bottenvikens largest fishing village.
For decades there has been no commercial fishing from this island. The photographs depict the final stage of a long history. A cut-off point between past and present.
All photographs were taken by my father Torgny Björklund who grew up in a family that for many generations have fished in Piteå Archipelago. Of the 30 frames he took over a few summers in the 1960s, I have selected these photographs and made copies for an exhibition."
Olof Björklund, 2016
In September there was an exhibition presenting pictures by members of Analogfotograferna Stockholm. Olof is a member and as an extra feature he prepared these pictures. It was highly appreciated by all visitors. I am very impressed by the quality and the "eye" of Torgny.
These are pictures, not only of historic importance, but also of a significant photographic quality. I had he great pleasure to meet the photographer and his wife at the exhibition.
Thank you Olof for preparing these prints and also making them available in a digital form. A treasure.
Mr Urbano
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Morris