Vladimir Kurashov
In 2004 Vladimir enrolled the Timiryazev agricultural academy on the faculty of agronomy. In 2007 he became seriously interested in photography, even more than that, by the technical aspect of it: Optical effects, different techniques of shooting and printing technologies. The most favorite technique became black and white photos of medium and large format, the most favorite rhetorical device — a landscape of the chosen aesthetic program - picturesqueness (vagueness). As the main subjects of his plots, Vladimir had chosen an architectural rhythm of the region Tushino. This region is an implementation, a mixture, of urban and natural on the same territory. An artistic style of the photographer illustrates his aesthetic preference: He is guided by the principles of creation of the American photographer Ansel Adams, as well as by the works of group f/64.
VLADIMIR KURASHOV Was born in 1987 in Moscow. He grew up in Tushino, one of the remote regions of the capital. His childhood and adolescence came up to the late 1990’s.
“Poetics of the locality” is an assembly of the landscape photos, made during the winters of 2009 — 2012, that had been shot in a wide variety of park and garden zones of Moscow and Moscow region. The main goal of the photographer was to demonstrate a poetic vision of the usual and close geographical paysage These scenic pay-
sages are a referent of a chaotic world order near Moscow - cottage and industrial appendage of the capital. Vladimir has found, among the ugly and urbanized environment, pleasantly and wsurprisingly beautiful landscapes. The gap between the reality of everyday life of Moscow region residents and the beauty of the same region, but just around the corner, just further than the usual route, taken by the most is, in fact, the main interest of the whole sequence. The place, where the trains are driven, the satellite towns, markets, building materials, gardens and cottage settlements are, the beauty and power of nature is truly revealed. Also, the characteristic latitude, neglected places are absent here, here you may find — peace and quiet. Each frame captures the process, the integration of natural forces: coniferous and deciduous trees, fields and forests, light and darkness. “Poetics of the locality” — is a runaway of the city dweller into the bosom of nature: the very nature, which is the subject of endless reflection and contemplation.
Sledge Kolomenskoe Park. Moscow 29.12.2010
Snowy river Pakhra Study #3 Podolsk. Moscow Region 21.03.2011
Forest horizon like ÂŤzipperÂť Shakhmatovo. Moscow region 26.01.2011
Blizzard over the wood Monino. Moscow Region 13.02.2011
Snow and sun Arkhangelskoe. Moscow region 28.02.2010
Frozen aspen Kolomenskoe Park. Moscow 29.12.2010
Forest. Abramtzevo Study #6 Moscow region 27.01.2011
Snowy river Desna Study #7 Podolsk. Moscow Region 21.03.2011
Elm-tree alley. Boblovo Klin district of Moscow region 23.01.11
Frozen park at midnight Tsaritsyno. Moscow 06.01.2011
Centennial fir-wood. Study #1 Yakhroma. Moscow region 15.03.2011
At night under the larches Study #2 Poklonnaya Gora, Moscow 29.01.2011
On the shore of the reservoir Yakhroma. Study #3 Moscow region 09.03.2011
Kubinka Study #5 Moscow region 01.03.2010
Kubinka Study #3 Moscow region 01.03.2010
Arkhangelskoe Study #5 Moscow region 19.02.2011
Orekhovo (Meshcherskaya lowland) Study #4 Moscow region 03.03.2011
ÂŤLoneÂť fir. Gorki Leninskie Moscow region 26.02.2011
Sorochany. Yakhroma Study #11 Moscow region 03.03.2011
Winter night in an apple orchard Study #1 Tushino, Moscow 21.12.2010
Skiers on the larch alley in the park Timiryazev Agricultural Academy Moscow 18.03.2011
Woodland belt Study #1 Klin district of Moscow region 23.01.11
A solitary tree Arkhangelskoe. Moscow region 28.02.2010
Skyline Nikolina Gora, Moscow Region 17.01.2011
On the way home Sokolniki. Moscow 29.12.2009
APPENDIX #1
Undoubtedly, artist’s creation is inspired by their surroundings. It may differ from him by an image, meaning or character, but there is no escape from the origin. An author was raised by a contradictive and many-faced city. He went a long way, which became not only a hard path but, rather an observatory expedition. It lasted for years; but how can you extract an essence of such a long observation and the true meaning of it? An author doesn’t think it is necessary to fix the plot or personalities, he concentrates on the cities path itself, on its unique texture and special sensitivity. As well as its trajectory and character. It is immediately noticeable, a typical compositional shape, despite of the location, being underground or on night highway. Captured places are not coincidental, but they are never the places of interest, in a broad way. It is a symbolic picture for the author himself. Childhood, education, obstacles and experiences- everything was connected to that very city. The most important aspects for Vladimir were regularly appearing pictures on his path, very close to his heart and not the actual addresses or objects. Camera is not focused on individual objects; the fragment is not cluttered by anything else. Maybe it is the way to escape the interference or maybe the momentary distrust to the whole action, necessary with a plot, but already in the past. That is why, this trust to the surroundings, approaching close to the horizon, is a constant attempt to see more, beyond possible.
The author is not trying to embellish and glorify the captured sites. Through them, through the perspective of the sidewalk, tram rails, different trails, the author tries to reveal what its like — the city, in which he was brought up. Personally to him, and not as a citizen, student, youth, but as a single person, seeking the true meanings. Perhaps, one of the found meanings was the way out of the dark city, to the spectacular expanse, seen in the “Poetics of the locality”? Lets get back to the photos presented in the Appendix. In the city, Vladimir has a favorite surroundings — it is laid on the distinction between the residential areas, streets and pieces of nature. The same sidewalks, which stretch along the parks, thus giving an opportunity to be “here and there” in the same time. Moscow boulevards and avenues in the central squares are arranged in a same way. In the afternoon, behind the human flow, the environment is just a decoration. But at night - it is the protagonist, illuminated by electric light. It is interesting, that the strong or weak unnatural light accents everything captured in the city. Constantly agreeing and struggling with the darkness. Possibly, it is because, the secret of the city, and its true essence, is close to the viewer only, when circumscribed by the rules of light and shadow. Only here, the city absorbs the senses, revealing invisible, during the day, verges and forms. Maybe, it helps a person to concentrate in himself, or observe unexpected contrasts in his experiences.There is a constant search for a city, in the city — infinite will, all-round visibility, not bound to the trajectory. But in the same time — in nature it is just a vision, the personality is truly evident during the way. Wherever it may be.
Tramway span from West to East Bridge in Tushino November 2011
Kosygina street November 2011
Corridor in the educational building MSHA them. Timiryazev November 2011
Tverskoy boulevard November 2011
The left «wing» of the museum on Poklonnaya Hill November 2011
Quay in Neskuchny garden November 2011
Overground transition through Volokolamskoe highway November 2011
Listvennichnaya Alley in campus MSHA them. Timiryazev November 2011
Construction transition on Kitay-Gorod (Zaryadie) November 2011
Alexandrovsky garden November 2011
Subway transition from Okhotniy ryad to Teatralnaya November 2011
Svobody Street November 2011
APPENDIX #2
Photographer and the city. It’s popular and almost usual system of relationships. You can only argue who acts as a leader and companion, author and the object. The city alone raises and educates the artist. But let us abstract from the logic of these relationships. It’s not important for us how their fate had set. The most significant aspect here is that, at this moment, Vladimir tells goodbye to that city. The author summarizes several years of his “urban” and observational work. Long-term analysis sort of demands a transparent summary and conclusion. Of course, it can’t be fully comprehensive, as the city is always different, day-by-day. And it’s not about the surroundings and eventfulness. Series demonstrate, that Moscow is variable, but at the same time — shockingly constant, there is a feeling, that the city has stopped in time. Megalopolis is no longer reflecting a certain era: it has no fixed shape and character. It is a creature that has lost control, of unprecedented beauty, but equally disgusting.
Panorama of the TEC-21 (power station) from the city dump into Dolgoprudny. MKAD (Ring Road). Moscow February 2012
How do we observe this giant? Fly over on a plane? Are we going to see its true character and what it lives for? Highly doubtful. Lets cast a gaze upon it, step aside and squint
Here it is, Moscow tonight, genuine and not embellished. It’s not clear weather it’s a desert or a boiling engine, covered with the wings of steam. It’s warming itself, despite not knowing the nature of heat. This is a boundary between the ungrateful city and residential areas: roadway of landscape, not falling into any of the categories. The bush, not able to find it’s own place, even more lost in the time of construction. On the right side, in the valley of poor and stray creek — it seems that there is a homeless hovel. This scenery is cut off of something way bigger, something more important and in the same time, not embedded into anything else. City-consumer, he took what it found no use for.
Panorama from window to Bratislavskiy krug (park them. Artyom Borovik). Marino. January 2012
It seemed, that we are going to find out the arrangement of megalopolis simply by walking down its streets, by examining each of its trails. It seemed, from the first appendix of Vladimir’s work, that each road has it’s own horizon, meaning, that it always leads to something. The paths have always led to something new, had promised and called. In urban life, every morning promises us something, gives a choice. Isn’t it just an illusion? Here are these very roads and trails. It turns out, that they don’t lead anywhere. This is a symbolic nature and a symbolic way. There is too much symbolism. What can be regarded as a reality? We are definitely following a wrong track, not even trying to overlook the trajectory. It seems, that we are choosing…the Nature mocks us. We are simply in the zone, in an empty space, designed for nothing. The starry sky is replaced by the constellations of glowing windows, fields and valleys, by bulldozerleveled planes. We had a lot of time and space. What did we fill it with?
Panorama of the fence around Zaryad’ye area. Kitay-Gorod December 2011
You have to understand, that there is nothing joyless and decadent in it. Quite the contrary, it is a pleasure, when lost, that you begin to understand the direction of the path. But something is really dreadful. The time is strung on historical paradigm. The whole eras pass away, replaced by different nations and cultures. The human communities are beckoned and frightened by the future. But then comes the timelessness. The situation, stretched on for years, and concerning the millions of lives is hidden by a blind wall. What was closed and who had built? In it’s depth and coldness, this mystery is like icy dark water. Who abandoned us? Who is engaged in furnishing of our lives? Forcing us to play by his rules and honor his idols. Look through the wall, stepping over a decade. What kind of landscape was stretched here? Cold wind is blowing, leaving ripples on the water… No, the images are too illegible. The fence is too strong. As if you don’t even want to look and step further. Suddenly we startle, pierced by shiver down the spine, as if our
legs were over the edge of the cliff. It seemed to one of us and one has clearly understood, interfered by a momentary fear, that there may be nothing behind that wall — just be a blank gap. Or maybe… that very roadway of alienation: space without the name or destination. We do not regret about the past, we are afraid of the emptiness of the future. This goodbye to the city becomes so meaningful and reasonable by the falsity of ways, summarized by a dead end wall. There must be surely another paths. We are defiantly going further.