Gregor Schmatz was born in Germany and grew up in Luxembourg. He currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he is in his final year of the Photography and Film course at Edinburgh Napier University. He has recently completed his long term project Amerikanare and is currently producing new work which will be shown in July 2014 at Free Range London. Today we share Gregor’s series titled Amerikanare, a series of photographs taken in Sweden depicting the love Swedes have for American classic cars.
“Amerikanare”
“Amerikanare” is a Swedish term which commonly refers to an American car. Sweden is in love with the classic American car, and has been for a long time. As there are more restored cars from the 50’s in Sweden than in the USA, the passion for the “Amerikanare” is more than a hobby. The Swedish countryside offers the space to work on the cars and drive them comfortably on the long empty roads. The Swedish celebration of summer provides motivation to work on the cars during the long winter as the summer months are filled with cruisings, festivals, and long nights. Since the American car culture in Sweden already started in the 50’s, it is established throughout all generations and continues to grow. The “Amerikanare” still fascinates young generations and the countless car clubs welcomes them.
What makes the “Amerikanare” truly feel at home though is the atmosphere of the Swedish countryside. If you squint your eyes a little bit, you are living the American road trip, in Sweden.
To view more of Gregor’s work please visit his website.