There are many winds in your photographs… I feel that…
Like collection of plants, your memories were collected and dried …and they smells quietly…

the picture of your hand is very strong and symbolic …it seems to be territory of your home county and your identity to me..

Thank you so much for such beautiful works… I love it..:)))

Kyunghee.

ozzy al

all the best,
nelson

p.s. you were mencioned in this very well know photography portuguese blog: http://artephotographica.blogspot.com/2009/06/r-e-gressar.html

“First we bring together, then we putrefy, we break down what has been putrefied, we purify the divided, we unite the purified and harden it. In this way is One made from man and women.” (Buchlein vom Stein der Weisen, 1778)

All the best and continued success,

Frank

Anyway, this place is great for beginning photography learners like me. Thanks to all for making Burn happen.

Tatiana shot in an almost straightforward documentary style, focusing on the decadence (not sure it’s the right word…) that is apparently growing and growing in the wake of the former Empire (but the decadence was probably already there, only covered by the sovietic silence). And, imo, she fails in realizing her “fictional autobiography” due to the detachment introduced by such stylistic choice.
On the other hand, Marina clearly states the limitations of the photographic medium, beyond every possible stylistic choice. In an attempt to get along these limits, she imposes a sort of additional layer over the images… but instead of adding depth, such layer leaves the images short of breathe imo. It’s as if the focus is shifted some inches above the image itself. In other words, I feel a gap between the “original” photographs “contained” in the negatives (photographs which in most cases appear “weak” as stand-alone), and the way those same negatives are treated and reproduced in the essay; I guess that, in author’s intentions, such gap should not be perceived and the “final” images should be looked at as a whole.

I’m pretty much confused by both essays, and I’m sure that my confusion is clearly readable in the comment above (in particular by the increasing use of quotation marks towards the end)… and my limited ability to express in English just adds up to the mental entropy I’m stuck in. So, please forgive me… ;)

This genre of personal documentary through introspection has really gained ground over the last few years. The first photograph sucked me into the author’s world and I felt myself wanting to know more. In a way it throws a challenge at the viewer: enter, but it won’t be an easy ride. This essay is rare because it succesfully marries both style and content into a unique vision. Ultimately this essay doesn’t succumb to the trap of using style for styles sake. Also, I can tell that the photographer is well read through the work and has an excellent sense of history. The essay isn’t intellectually empty. The photographs also elicit an emotional response from the viewer and at times it is disturbing, but also beautiful. I am reminded of some text in Dostoyevsky’s ‘The Idiot’ where the protaginist Prince Myshkin is on the ‘brink’:

“The Gardens were deserted; a darkness clouded the setting sun for a moment. It was oppressive; there was something like the distant premonition of a thunderstorm. In his present contemplative state there was for him a kind of allure. He clung with his memories and mind to each external object, and this pleased him: he kept wanting to forget something, the present, the vital, but at a first glance around him he at once again recognized his gloomy thought, the thought he so much wanted to get rid of”.

The texture and grain of the work was a pure delight and I often felt tempted to graze the screen with my fingertips, just to confirm that the presence of this grain. Also, the fact that the medium was film lends authenticity to the theme of memory and loss. Often to my parent’s dismay, I find myself tearing out old black and white photographs from my grandparents albums, and the presence of their grainy texture draws me into their world. Sucks me into their vortex. I doubt that this project would have been as legitimate if it was done as a digital medium. As well as the themes of memory/loss, I also felt that nothing more that this essay was a celebration of film as a medium in itself.

As film is composed up of ground animal gelatin, then it stands to reason that this animal gelatin also contains DNA. It is an interesting to comtemplate whether our genetic makeup can be influenced by the clash of cultural norms, or alternatively our DNA is ‘there to stay’. I think through the presentation of various photographs, Marina is saying that our DNA is alterable through experience and this is evident in #23 where the photo is either damaged or defaced, but it still survives like a faded memory. This is a lovely touch. I also like how #19 shows possibly water damage and this is symbolic of the degradation of memory over time. The idea of permanence and loss symbolised through damaged/degraded photographs is central to the whole essay.

In a sense the essay felt like a homage to German expressionism, notably in the film ‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’. The sense of flashback in addition to the use of light, shadow and the positioning of objects in the photographic frame really feels like a throwback to this style of movie direction. I adored how the photos didn’t have that perfect glossy finish, the coarse look through the grain and imperfections actually adds credibility to the project as a whole.

Here are some of my thoughts on the individual shots, so please bear with me:

#2 Apocalyptic, I feel on the edge of a precipice, about to fall into a deep black void. Jason Pollack eat your heart out. Love the lack of shadow detail here and the storm clouds brewing in the distance. Disturbing. Refer to Dostoyevsky quote above, as its a perfect parallel.

#3 The clock is a necessary shot to signify time. The opened door on the left, perhaps a passage into another dimension/lifetime. The vignetting works well here, adds to the atmosphere.

#4 Photographs defaced or worn through time. Necessary to the whole theme. The scissor work was done roughly, I wonder what is the meaning for this?

#5 Fantastic photograph of the schoolchildren. I was reminded of Sylvia Plachy when I saw this, but this has a unique style through the rough grain and triangles at the back of the photograph. They are an ominous sign. I’m also sure that some people may compare your work with Sylvias. However, I am finding that I have a lot more in common with this essay.

#6 Cross-cultural transportation. Its inclusion is important to the sequence and overall theme. No accident it was early in the sequence. Like the bed in the later photograph, the plane is a physical indicator that this project transcends cultures, borders. Although introspective, it carries a universal message.

#7 Perhaps father figure looking into the distance. Love the appearance of cobwebs with the trace of fingerprints, especially that they have survived the long haul of time.

#8 The best portrait possibly photograph of the set. Tension with the close crop. It is haunting. Ralph Gibson eat your heart out.

#9 Surreal with the superimposed image of the boy on the buildings. I feel a sense of music and this photograph is a throwback to the golden days of jazz in Chicago. .

#10 Russian orthodox church steeped in shadow. Timing is perfect with the person about to be engulfed by the large shadow. Time does indeed engulf everything. I felt that the man walking into the shadow is symbolic of when memory fades. Trent Parke eat your heart out. Now there is no turning back in this essay as I have stepped over the threshold out of my comfort zone.

#12 I didn’t like this photo as much due to the expression on the face. It didn’t feel consistant with the rest of the essay. Especially in comparison to #8.

#13 The concept of time again with the clock, the TV as a projector of culture and the bedroom, the vechile for the dreamstate where childhood visions can be recalled. Killer shot. I felt a homage to Kertesz Chez Mondrian photograph. Or, Friedlanders famous hotel room shot with the TV at the end of the bed. You have done this with your own flare and imagination.

#14 Disturbing photograph, like a cut from a japanese horror movie that often feature children and their discarded toys. The bicycle is symbolic of memory being relegated to the ‘back room’. The bike was obviously put here deliberately, but the question that this photograph poses is whether memories are deliberately lost or naturally through the slow passage of time. This photograph works on many levels.

#15 Their is a paradox between the happy expression of the child and the rays of light or streamers that seem to suck the spirit of the kid at the same time. Creepy.

#16 I don’t think that it was necessary to tilt the lens like this to keep the audience ‘on edge’, because I am already losing my balance through the symbolism and contrast. The vignetting however works well and sets of the clouds. It would have worked just as well if it was straight. This kind of tilt was not necessary as the content was already very strong.

#17 Under and overexposed in one cut. Versions of memories change and fade over time as well. Clever photo.

#18 Film noir in its technique and result. The lighting is spectacular in this shot, as the lady (perhaps mother) seems oblivious to the pulsating spotlight above her.

#21 This feels like homage to one of Man Ray’s elaborately staged photographs. It is beautifully done, but I am struggling to see how it fits into the overall sequence.

#22 The feeling of family and warmth is juxtaposed by the scary vignetting. I think that Marina is saying that we should enjoy these tender moments and make the most of them, because they are not permanent. The shadow signifies the decay of memory.

#24 This is a very sensitive photograph and it would have taken a lot of intuition to be able to capture those contrasting gestures on the children’s faces. Like it a lot.

#26 The raindrops on the window are a fantastic mosaic. This photo has a painterly quality. It works on both an art and documentary level. Now, please tell me Marina, but this reminds me of the last shot in the Russian movie ‘Russian Ark’ (one of my favorites)esp. the voyage, in that movie the ark is the protector of the states art. Now did you have this in mind??

#27 Looks similar to a Dacha. Also necessary photograph given Marina’s ancestry. Good execution. I like how this was photographed in strong summer light, different to my image of a Russian Dacha weighed down by winter snow with more ambient light. So, perhaps in conclusion Marina is saying that it is possible to marginally modify our genetic makeup (memories) through the presence or absence of light on film :-) Memories fade and change, but their base remains the same?

#28 My favorite photograph, I will one day procure a print! This photograph is art, pure and simple. It feels like a shot from Ralph Gibson’s, san francisco, new york or sonnumbalist series. But it is unique in its own way and has the author’s fingerprints all over it. Beautiful. Evocative. Poetic in the childs movement.

#29 Their is the author, a necessary but important filler. The exposure is perfect and I love the view of the garden through the window. A perfect way to finish.

Fantastic essay. I am in awe. Never give up on this series! I would love to one day excel to this level. Good luck Marina and I believe that this essay must be published one day. I want to see this in print as I believe with a few more photographs, that this series will become an integral part of the popular contemporary photography booklist.

JJ

all the best, audrey

Simon

Jeff,
(Caledon)

Brava, Marina. May your journey take you into the depths of your/our heart.

Patricia

To answer Joe’s question: the approach would be akin to writer’s approach who looks for his characters in life, then adds to them bits of his own ideas and finishes with touches of fiction. The work is intuitive, the camera often sees things that might be unnoticed at first, they almost pursue you and all I have to do is just observe. I’ve always been fascinated by cultural mythologies, even when it’s not related to Russia. As each culture has it’s own mythology and symbolism and these symbols, gestures are reflected in the writing, poetry, storytelling, art, the more I learn about and explore a culture, including my own , the clearer the picture seems to become. In other words, working with those ’symbols’, it allows me to explore the ideas and identities . Symbols become less “personal’ but more apparent and simple. And no more aversion, no more struggle. I try to welcome such experiences. Russia is just a bit more familiar territory. Thank you :)

Special thank you to people I’ve had the chance to meet in person or even through distance over the emails:
Lisa, Oli, Panos, Erica, Imants, Velibor, Mike: dear friends, I’m always happy to hear from you! Thank you for your presence.

Special thank you for Mr Black who pushes me harder than any Rodinal and challenges me artistically and philosophically more than mr.Freud prescribed. Thank you for being so patient and as always supportive.

Jim Powers – you could benefit from a little introspection. You seem to find so little work on this site up to your obviously too-high standards; it’s a wonder you continue to return here.