For more than five winters Emil Rashkovski has been documenting the traces of camping and bivouac culture in the forests around Shiroka Polyana, Beglik and Batak reservoirs in the Western Rhodopes mountains, Bulgaria. Moving around on skis, he encounters various dwellings and shelters: caravans, boats, tents, awnings, bathrooms, toilets and even entire houses and bungalows.

Some camps are marked by signs - "Bivouac Ailyak"*, "Noah" or "Old Don’s Pub". Dotted around are folk sayings such as "a little rakia** is an escape from responsibility" and "he who sings thinks no evil".

These three reservoirs were built during the 1950s, as a result of a joint Bulgarian-Soviet scientific expedition. The camping culture among these places originated during socialism, but the last twenty years have seen the biggest boom. Each summer thousands of holidaymakers flock to the mountain lakes in search of a cool, romantic, and affordable vacation. These locations turn into huge summer camp filled with fireworks and midnight shots fired by drunken groups. Hundreds of campfires are lit, the aroma of grilled meat wafts around and the music ranges from chalga*** to jazz.

The State Forestry Department attempts to deal with the illegal structures by posting warning notices, removing awnings and even setting fire to shacks, but some of those affected retaliate by lighting deliberate fires. Meantime, the makeshift structures continue to multiply and are sometimes even sold by one "owner" to another.

“I chose to shoot during the winter when there are no people, but human presence can be felt everywhere. The places that thrum with life in summer look strangely empty and abandoned in winter. I progress slowly in my search for the campers' creations, taking care not to leave any tracks. I feel like a polar explorer, moving on skis in the winter wilderness in search of traces of this “civilization””.

2019 - 2023

* "аilyak" is an untranslatable word denoting relaxation and a stress-free state

** "rakia" is Bulgarian brandy

*** "chalga" is a folk-inspired dance music genre in Bulgaria