Grozny : nine Cities

Grozny: Nine Cities é um projecto da fotógrafa russa Okasana Yushko.

Oksana é uma fotógrafa free-lancer, com formação de base em ciências computacionais e matemáticas aplicadas. Baseada em Moscovo, trabalha como jornalista desde 2006.

O talento é imenso e bem demonstrado, apesar da carreira ainda tão curta.

Escolhi, para hoje, o Projecto Grozny, mas voltarei em breve a Oksana Yushko.

Há muito mais para ver.

Russia. Chechnya, 2009-2012

Ongoing joint project by Oksana Yushko, Olga Kravets and Maria Morina.

Photos by Oksana Yushko

Grozny, the capital of war-torn Chechnya, is a melting pot for changing Сaucasus society that is trying to overcome a post-trauma shock of two recent wars and find its own way of life in between traditional Сhechen values, Muslim traditions, and globalization, to cope with rapidly changing role of women, increasing contrast between rich and poor and political games.

Our project Grozny, Nine Cities is inspired by a Thornton Wilder book, Theophilus North, and centers on the idea of nine cities being hidden in one, which gives us a concept to explore specific aspects of the aftermath of two Chechen wars considering them as ‘cities’ hidden within Grozny.

Nastya Kaletkina

Nastya Kaletkina é uma jovem fotógrafa russa com uma assinatura muito própria.

Fotografa apenas com camaras analógicas, filmes antigos, revelação em estudio e impressão manual.

Tem, seguramente, um imaginário muito particular que remete o seu trabalho para universos distantes, pelo trabalho de composição, selecção de cor e tratamento de imagem. O resultado é, por vezes, perturbador ou, pelo menos, intrigante.

Este registo, mais conceptualizado na procura de uma dimensão artistica vincada,  da fotografia não é, “a minha praia”  mas reconheço o critério, a coerência e o talento.

Afinal é fotografia, desde que praticada seriamente é um campo aberto de possibilidades de expressão.

Vale a pena ver.

Aqui numa entrevista e apresentação de portfolio à revista Kaltblut

Nastya Kaletkina is an analog photographer born in 1990, Moscow, Russia. She lives and works there. At the moment she is a student of Rodchenko School of Art and Multimedia Nastya prefers old film cameras and hand-printing.

Kaltblut: Why so many black-and-white photographs ?

Nastya: I reckon the colour is a powerful sign that enhances transference of anything in photography. And if there’s a colour in my photos, yet it’s not fortuitous.  It is easier to focus attention on something other while performing black-and-white photography.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I’ve got rather a reflex than an inspiration. A reflex to a read book or to a person, occurred in my life. Some public places. Some events. Though the inner world of my intimates is my biggest source of inspiration.

Do you like experimenting?

Experimenting is always an interesting game with a chance.
I often want to make the path to the pure / clear picture more complex. To veil it. To accomplish this I use every handy thing. I sometimes use the same film several times. I wait for / It’s a miracle when everything hitches on together. It’s a very important event.

How long does the process of photographing take?

How much time I need to take a photo?
Regularly it happens rather fast. Spontaneous. I take pictures of intimates or make self-portraits. And therefore there’s no complexity in comprehension. But more often the shots are accidental.

Davide Monteleone

Davide Monteleone é um premiadíssimo fotógrafo italiano, com uma linguagem própria, forte e directa, que lhe valeu o World Press Photo e o International Photo Award, entre muitos outros reconhecimentos internacionais.

Com uma forte ligação ao Cáucaso, divide residência entre Itália e a Rússia.

O seu novo livro Red Thistle: O Ritmo da Vida no Cáucaso tem publicação prevista para para o próximo dia 7 de Outubro e relata a permanência de Monteleone na Chechénia em 2007, por ocasião de um Festival de Cinema em Grozny.

Realmente um pretexto, que possibilitou ao fotógrafo o contacto com um país e um povo sob feroz domínio do exército russo, no auge do conflito armado.

Imperdível !

Born in 1974, Davide Monteleone spent his first 18 years living in various cities in Italy, as his parents moved frequently for work.

He gave up a study of engineering to move first to the US, and then to the UK, where he discovered an interest in photography and journalism. Back in Italy in 2000, he completed studies in photography and began to work with major Italian magazines.

At the end of 2001, Monteleone moved again, this time to Moscow, where he lived permanently until 2003, working as correspondent for the photo agency Contrasto. This decision determined his ensuing career. He start working regularly with major national and international newspapers such as D, Io Donna, l’Espresso, The New York Times, Time, Stern and The New Yorker, to name just a few.

Since 2003, Monteleone has lived between Italy and Russia, pursuing long-term personal projects and continuing his editorial work. He published his first book Dusha, Russian Soul in 2007, followed by La Linea Inesistente, in 2009. His photojournalism has won him numerous accolades, including the World Press Photo prizes in 2007 and 2009, the International Photo Award in 2008, an Emerging Photographer Grant, a Freelens Award and many others. In recent years, alongside the editorial work, he has started exhibiting and teaching.

Representação na Art Moscow 2012

Uma vez mais, a Cordeiros Galeria teve a gentileza de incluir imagens minhas na representação que levou à “Art Moscow 2012“.

Mais um crédito de consideração e uma distinção que muito agradeço à Cordeiros.