What I really like about this story is that the guy did it for his grandmother, to pull her out of a funk.
Sacha Goldberger's loving portrait of his grandmother, who happens to be a superhero.
A few years ago, French photographer Sacha Goldberger found his 91-year-old Hungarian grandmother Frederika feeling lonely and depressed. To cheer her up, he suggested that they shoot a series of outrageous photographs in unusual costumes, poses, and locations. Grandma reluctantly agreed, but once they got rolling, she couldn’t stop smiling.
Frederika was born in Budapest 20 years before World War II. During the war, at the peril of her own life, she courageously saved the lives of ten people. When asked how, Goldberger told us “she hid the Jewish people she knew, moving them around to different places everyday.” As a survivor of Nazism and Communism, she then immigrated away from Hungary to France, forced by the Communist regime to leave her homeland illegally or face death.
Aside from great strength, Frederika has an incredible sense of humor, one that defies time and misfortune. She is funny and cynical, always mocking the people that she loves.
With the unexpected success of this series, titled “Mamika,” Goldberger created a MySpace page for his grandmother. She now has over 2,200 friends and receives messages like: “You’re the grandmother that I have dreamed of, would you adopt me?” and ” You made my day, I hope to be like you at your age.”
Initially, she did not understand why all these people wrote to congratulate her. Then, little by little, she realized that her story conveyed a message of hope and joy. In all those pictures, she posed with the utmost enthusiasm. Now, after the set, Goldberger shares that his grandmother has never shown even a hint of depression. Perhaps it’s because her story serves some sort of purpose. That through the warm words of newfound friends, she’s reminded of just how lucky she is to be alive.
Several great photos here, at My Modern Met.
Who wouldn’t admire a guy who makes a superhero out of his grandmother?
Going to the wall for your grandmother -- Sacha Goldberger photo.
More, and resources:
- Sacha Goldberger’s photography site (in French — don’t let that put you off; even if you don’t speak French, it’s great). Some of the best work involves a red chicken. Chaplinesque comedy at its absolute best — no captions offered, or needed. (Hmmmm. If you click on the “book” part of the site, it comes up in English. I think.)
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 