honorable mention
Heinrich Wegmann italy
title
(untitled)
One of the most outstanding and at the same time most mysterious figures of Tramin’s carnival tradition is the “Schnappviech”, also called “Wudele”
by the inhabitants of Tramin. From two-year-old boys to grown-up men, everyone slips under the sack of these creatures, which can reach a height of up to three meters. There exist many speculations where these legendary figures come from and why only in Tramin they have survived and developed further. What is known from many elderly Traminer – how the inhabitants of Tramin are called – is that the “Schnappviecher”, like many other figures of the Traminer carnival, stand for the expulsion of winter spirits and the welcoming of spring spirits.
As the forces of nature are much stronger, people tried their best to get along with them, partly by homage partly by stealth. They conjured vernal fertility gods to bring luck to themselves and others. All this is an extremely valuable cultural cycle that persisted until today. Butchers, accompanying the “Schnappviecher”, slaughter one of the wild creatures at each village fountain. The symbolic meaning of this ritual is obvious: the butcher represents the spring that kills the evil winter spirits. Thus, the important tradition for farmers can be seen as a symbol for the magic of springtime. It remains a mystery where the model for this strange figure comes from. The pronounced dragon head of the “Schnappviech” suggests a representation of a superhuman being that can be found in both religious imaginations and folk legends and myths.
In 1985, he travelled for the first time to China. This marked the beginning of his fascination of other cultures and the curiosity of their everyday lives. He then visited Tibet, Nepal, India and Russia living amongst the communities for months at a time in his quest to understand the different cultures.
As his love for photography grew, so did his interest in participating in exhibitions and photography competitions. But in this he had to do in his free time as he still had a full time job managing an Architectural firm.
In 1999, he made his first trip to Brazil to document through photography the “Quilombo”, the descendants of the runaway slaves from their Portuguese masters. He went back the following year for the project “Catadores do Mundo”, a documentary on the people living on the garbage dumpsites of Joao Pessoa. In 2012, he took the project concept “Catadores do Mundo” to Kenya where he documented through photographs, the people living in and making a living in the Dandora garbage dumpsite and in Korogocho, the 2nd largest slum in Kenya.
He presently lives and works fulltime as a photographer in Bolzano, Italy. He is married to a Brazilian lady and has 2 daughters. One can find samples of his work at www.smeidart.com
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entry description
In Tramin, one of the most remarkable and oldest carnival traditions of Tyrol has been preserved: the so-called “Egetmann” parade. This carnival parade takes place only on Shrove Tuesday in odd years. Already weeks before this big event happens the whole village is in uproar.One of the most outstanding and at the same time most mysterious figures of Tramin’s carnival tradition is the “Schnappviech”, also called “Wudele”
by the inhabitants of Tramin. From two-year-old boys to grown-up men, everyone slips under the sack of these creatures, which can reach a height of up to three meters. There exist many speculations where these legendary figures come from and why only in Tramin they have survived and developed further. What is known from many elderly Traminer – how the inhabitants of Tramin are called – is that the “Schnappviecher”, like many other figures of the Traminer carnival, stand for the expulsion of winter spirits and the welcoming of spring spirits.
As the forces of nature are much stronger, people tried their best to get along with them, partly by homage partly by stealth. They conjured vernal fertility gods to bring luck to themselves and others. All this is an extremely valuable cultural cycle that persisted until today. Butchers, accompanying the “Schnappviecher”, slaughter one of the wild creatures at each village fountain. The symbolic meaning of this ritual is obvious: the butcher represents the spring that kills the evil winter spirits. Thus, the important tradition for farmers can be seen as a symbol for the magic of springtime. It remains a mystery where the model for this strange figure comes from. The pronounced dragon head of the “Schnappviech” suggests a representation of a superhuman being that can be found in both religious imaginations and folk legends and myths.
about the photographer
Heinrich Wegmann was born in 1960 in South Tyrol, Italy. His interest in photography began at an early age of about 12 years old where he picked it up as a hobby and has developed into a deep passion today. His knowledge and expertise in photography is completely self-taught. After completing his secondary school, he studied Architecture at the university in Innsbruck, Austria until 1988, when he moved to Venice, Italy, where he finished his university studies in 1995.In 1985, he travelled for the first time to China. This marked the beginning of his fascination of other cultures and the curiosity of their everyday lives. He then visited Tibet, Nepal, India and Russia living amongst the communities for months at a time in his quest to understand the different cultures.
As his love for photography grew, so did his interest in participating in exhibitions and photography competitions. But in this he had to do in his free time as he still had a full time job managing an Architectural firm.
In 1999, he made his first trip to Brazil to document through photography the “Quilombo”, the descendants of the runaway slaves from their Portuguese masters. He went back the following year for the project “Catadores do Mundo”, a documentary on the people living on the garbage dumpsites of Joao Pessoa. In 2012, he took the project concept “Catadores do Mundo” to Kenya where he documented through photographs, the people living in and making a living in the Dandora garbage dumpsite and in Korogocho, the 2nd largest slum in Kenya.
He presently lives and works fulltime as a photographer in Bolzano, Italy. He is married to a Brazilian lady and has 2 daughters. One can find samples of his work at www.smeidart.com
back to gallery