Estonia is a country in transition. It is a symbol for the situation in which most of the former Eastern Bloc countries find themselves. On the one side there is the inheritance of old European traditions and Soviet influences, on the other there is hope for a new future, free of Russia, with opportunities in the world market. At present that makes Estonia a divided land, according to Christoph Otto. Depending on where one looks you can imagine yourself in the past or in the future. Estonia tries to steer a middle course between hope and nostalgia - summed up by Otto in the words 'melancholy vitality' - as it seeks an identity of its own.

As a freelance photographer Christoph Otto (b. West Germany, 1966) focuses on people who live under exceptional circumstances. He has been visiting Estonia since 2003 in order to photograph daily life there. The Estonians is a work in progress.