.08.06.2016.

Bertil’s House

By In Photography, Story, UrbEx

betil_johanson

The videos shows a span of 15 years (2001-2016). All black & white photos taken by Dan Korn in 2001. Used w/ permission.

 

Mood:

Way, way out in the Swedish forest, at the end of a small and weary path is Bertil Johansson’s old house. Bertil lived here from the day he was born in 1925 until 2001. He lived as it was the 1800s without any power supply, telephone or running water. His house was decorated with commercial posters, stickers and colorful cartons. Even the forest surrounding the house was a canvas for Bertil’s art.

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Bertil was quite unique, different, and that’s exactly what the locals thought of him. People from the nearby villages were soon to mock him because of his differentness. They were pointing, laughing and small groups gathered for walks to Bertil’s old house, just to make fun of him. They considered him to be crazy and mentally ill so he was eventually put in a residential home. But he was never diagnosed as mentally ill nor crazy, he was just “born differently” as he himself said.

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Bertil thrived in his new home, where he found a new hobby in drawing and painting. This time far from the bullies. Bullies who didn’t understand his way of life. Individuals, grown ups, who had some kind of compulsion to fuck with Bertil just because he was a brighter and more vivid star than any person they ever bothered to get to know.

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Bertil regularly visited his old house until his death. He passed away in the summer of 2008, 82 years old.

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Bertil Johansson
1925-12-27 ~ 2008-08-13
finale

Source: “Mot Strömmen” (2002) by Dan Korn.
All black and white photos taken by Dan Korn in 2001.
8 Comments
  1. M .08.06.2016.

    Så fint! Vilket fynd.

    Reply
  2. Aaaaa .10.06.2016.

    Fint? Det är ju fullt med skräp överallt…

    Reply
    • Grappo-pop .10.06.2016.

      precis som ditt intellekt!

      Reply
  3. Joel Edberg .16.03.2018.

    Snyggt!

    Reply
  4. Lubbelabbe 21 år .08.10.2018.

    cool kille! Jag har också en habit av att samla på att hitta randoma reklamer som jag hänger upp på väggen och har även en “sticker” wall vart jag hänger upp allt som kan klistras upp, från klistremärken till pärssons vego-skinka emballasj. Tycker också om att samla på saker som folk har slängt ifrån sig i miljöstugan, så många helt ok kläder skor och böcker som folk slänger ifrån sig!
    Hans själ kanske har lämnats hans kropp och funnit sin plats i mig?

    Reply
  5. Peter Noren .08.02.2019.

    Fina bilder och trevlig läsning.sommarjobbade på en daglig verksamhet i svenljunga 1985,då träffade jag denna underbara o roliga farbror ofta.

    Reply
    • Castor .12.02.2019.

      Åh vad kul att få höra från en som haft äran att få träffa Bertil.

      Reply

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