honorable mention
Kristina Syrchikova russian federation
title
Muzhiki
The hero of yeasterday was a mere peasant. His image was romanticized by Tolstoy and Chekhov in the XIX century. The same was during the short period after the XX century revolution. Now country men are marginalized. His views and values are laughed at. No one cares about his opinion. Semms like there’s a switch in his head with two states: messing around and work. Free time is the time to drink. If there’s no work, a man gets drunk. “Celebrating” they say about those who went into a weeks bender, but no one knows what they are celebrating, as it’s a long time since there was an occasion.
That increases the value of a hard-working man, a life dream of every rural woman. Such men were chosen for my project. Kind, ready to give the shirt off their back, they value hard manual labor. They wake up bright and early and come back at home late after sunset. They cuddle their children and try hard to ensure their future. Their family is something they cannot live without.
I myself on one half belong to the family of simple men. My relatives are the same simple men, peasants with a switch in their head. Only when they get old they turn into those who are forbidden to drink because of their health state, that’s why they can’t sit at one place and always try to make something, or go somewhere.
Base: Russia, Samara.
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entry description
Do business. Break new ground. Show off. Make money out of thin air. Being successful is the thing everyone is expected to achieve in modern society. A businessman is today’s hero. Books are written about him. Films are shot about him. It’s a new idol and role model.The hero of yeasterday was a mere peasant. His image was romanticized by Tolstoy and Chekhov in the XIX century. The same was during the short period after the XX century revolution. Now country men are marginalized. His views and values are laughed at. No one cares about his opinion. Semms like there’s a switch in his head with two states: messing around and work. Free time is the time to drink. If there’s no work, a man gets drunk. “Celebrating” they say about those who went into a weeks bender, but no one knows what they are celebrating, as it’s a long time since there was an occasion.
That increases the value of a hard-working man, a life dream of every rural woman. Such men were chosen for my project. Kind, ready to give the shirt off their back, they value hard manual labor. They wake up bright and early and come back at home late after sunset. They cuddle their children and try hard to ensure their future. Their family is something they cannot live without.
I myself on one half belong to the family of simple men. My relatives are the same simple men, peasants with a switch in their head. Only when they get old they turn into those who are forbidden to drink because of their health state, that’s why they can’t sit at one place and always try to make something, or go somewhere.
about the photographer
Member of The Russian Union of Art Photographers. Awardee of Young photographers of Russia (2013, 2014). Medal winner of Youth Delphic Games Russia (2011−2016). Grand Prix of photo contest “Youth of Russia-2012”. Participant of more than thirty group exhibitions, including: “Photomania-2015” (Kalinigrad, Russia), “PhotoVisa” (Krasnodar, Russia, 2014), “Young photographers of Russia” (Vilnius, Lithuania, 2013).Base: Russia, Samara.
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