Photographer Charles Fréger traveled through 19 European countries to capture a variety of Wilder Mann, or "Wild Men", in a spectrum of Pagan festivals. These Wild Men come in many forms but they are all rooted in celebrations of seasons, rites of passage and Fréger said many of the traditions are full of joy and, regardless of the country, had a lot in common.
“There was a slight touch of universality because a lot of the groups were doing something similar without knowing one another. Because many of the festivities were focused on animals and vegetation, you could photograph someone dressed like a bear for example in Portugal or Spain or Romania. To me this was really exciting and interesting.”
We can't help but think of Nick Cave's SoundSuits! You can see them in action below.
