In the late fall of 1970 my grandfather disappeared without a trace. No one knew why he left or where he left. After three months he returned, and when he did ; everything changed.

Years after my grandfather’s passing I started digging in his archive of pictures and documents. Here I found the answer to one of the many questions ; Where did he go?

Elora , Canada. A small village 115km outside of Toronto.

53 years later, history repeats itself in my family. That’s when I decided to visit Ground Zero myself. In the summer of 2023 I set foot in Elora for the very first time.

‘My Sweet Elora’’ analyses the complicated nature of family dynamics and memories. While also looking at the impact of intergenerational trauma within families. It’s an ongoing search for answers. A conversation between what is and what was. And the impact that still lingers to this day.

This project questions the authenticity of photography as a medium of proof / evidence. By utilising an extensive family archive where my grandfather’s photography and writing plays a leading role. I use my own documentation of Elora as a way of reflecting on my grandfather’s story and my own journey as a young man trying to make sense of his position amidst the chaos that can be family history.

All images ©Luuk van Raamsdonk