Capturing Russia from white to black, north to south, east to west

Posts Tagged "life"

Roman: Wander with a Story

Roman: Wander with a Story

Occasionally, people I photograph tell some unusual stories, that I question their validity. This was the case with Roman, who approached us in a church in Kolomna (Moscow region). Quite knowledgable about history and religion, Roman said he has been traveling around Russia for the last few years after his wife and daughter were killed, leaving him with nothing really to live for as he put it. He said he was Uzbek by nationality, but raised in an orphanage mainly in Russia. He went into the army and served in Afghanistan. He said he was headed to the south of Russia where it would be warm and where the people are hospitable and may settle there.

Garich: The Juggler (2)

Garich: The Juggler (2)

I met Garich, a juggler, in the Moscow metro in the summer. He invited me by for tea to see his apartment and juggling studio. A free-lance journalist for more than a decade, Garik said he was inspired to go full time as a juggler after an interview last year with a Soviet photographer that specialized in nude portraits. When Garik asked him how he managed to get away for so long with taking nude photos in USSR, he answered "if you really love something enough, you will find a way to do it." Garik now supports himself by juggling on Arbat street and teaching.

Garich: The Juggler

Garich: The Juggler

Another photo of juggler Garich in his apartment. He lives on the ground floor of a 19th century building that was damaged by fire two years ago. His 'apartment' has no shower room or heating, though the electricity works. It reminds me of images of squatter housing in NYC in 80s. Garich built a fire place and is making a shower. He often sleeps on a hammock. The walls are bare except for some drawings by his school aged daughter, who lives separately with her mother. Garich said his daughter comes over occasionally and likes the unusual settings. He is hoping to find more juggling students in Moscow to incease his income, but his real goal is to have his own performance. He practices juggling to music by The Kinks, The Stooges and Thamusement in a bare room across the hallway.

Nikolai: Unicyclist, Magician (2)

I have seen a few people in Moscow on a unicycle over the years, but almost always at a park. Nikolai was riding near a metro station and I asked why. He said he was a student at Moscow's circus and arts academy and was trying to improve his riding ability. He said his parents realized early on he wasn't headed for an academic career and enrolled him in Moscow's only grammar school with a circus focus. Nikolai says he hopes someday to organize his own circus show and knows his life will always be some way connected with the circus and/or magic performance.

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Ukraine War Refugee

Ukraine War Refugee

He said he had a good life - an apartment, car and his own small store - until fighting erupted in his hometown of Luhansk. A bomb damaged the roof of his store and he left for safer territory in Moscow, where he now sells boiled corn-on-cob at popular Moscow park. Half Russian, half Ukrainian by nationality, he will get Russian citizenship and says may end up settling in Russia, but he misses his home town and previous, stable life. 

Akram: Kyrgyz Getting Russian Citizenship

Akram: Kyrgyz Getting Russian Citizenship

The ruble decline impacts nearly the entire former USSR, not just Russia and Russians. Akram grew up in Kyrgyzia, lives in Chelyabinsk and currently works in Moscow like many of his former countrymen. He regularly sends money to his parents, who are raising his two youngest children in Kyrgyzia. Akram said his parents now get 20% less for each ruble he sends them. Akram said he is getting Russisn citizenship and hopes someday to build a home outside Chelyabinsk, where is wife is raising their eldest child. 

Katya: Jehovah Witness

Katya: Jehovah Witness

Katya, a nanny, was standing by a popular Moscow park offering interested people Jehovah Witness literature. While I often come across JW followers in NYC, I have met few in Russia and thus I asked Katya how she become a follower. Katya said she become interested in religion as a young child growing up in Siberia. She would often accompany her grandmother to church, asking her questions about Jesus and heaven.

Following a move to the south of Russia, her mother became friends with a woman who was a JW follower. Katya said her mother thought the woman had made a mistake joining JW and sought to convince her. Katya said her mother ended up with the reverse outcome - her mother ended up becoming a JW follower herself. Katya said she and her sister then also joined JW because she ‘found answers to the questions’’ troubling her  

Igor: Lenin Impersonator

Igor: Lenin Impersonator

He caught my eye as he nervously walked toward Red Square. He had some resemblence to actor William Defoe, but was dressed like Lenin. As this was Moscow and not LA, I suspected he was a Lenin impersonator, so I walked up to chat. Igor said he was on the way to meet a Stalin impersonator in the underpass below red square, but was nervous the police would see him and stop him. He said he only recently became a Lenin impersonator after taking a photo - and then chatting - with Stalin. The Stalin impersonator recommended he give Lenin a shot. Igor said the first two attempts at altering his image with a black goatee and mustache didn't work. His friend suggested trying red dye and they were both pleased with the result. Igor said he had recently moved back to Moscow from his native Ukraine to find work. This is not the first time. He said he was a trolley bus driver and construction worker in Moscow during the turbulent 1990s. 

Father of Peter the Great

Father of Peter the Great

He and Vladimir Putin have had the same work address since 2000 - Red Square. This Moscovite plays the father of Peter the Great, the Russian ruler Putin perhaps most admires. I asked him about the most interesting things he has seen over the nearly 15 years he has been working on Red Square - he immediately recalled photographing with various international stars such as Gerard Depardieu and members of Boney M, a group popular in Russia. As for 2014, the more memorable event was his trip to Montenegro. He plans on vacationing in Belarus next year. 

Sergei: Voronezh Bartender, Tattoo Lover

Sergei: Voronezh Bartender, Tattoo Lover

Sergei, a bartender in Voronezh, had tattoos all over his body, including a butterfly on his neck, as well as some piercings, so I asked him about his background. He was born in Crimea, but grew up in the distant region of Chukotka, which lies near Alaska. He left in his late teens as saw no future there, moving to Voronezh, where his grandmother lives. He has continued to get tattoos and piercings since arriving in Voronezh many years ago, including splitting his tongue in two. Sergei said it took a while for his girlfriend to get used to his split tongue, while he has kept it a secret from his grandmother, who wouldn't take it well.

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