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Boris Mikhailov: Case History
Though Mikhailov considers the conditions of his particular place of residence for over fifty years crucial to his work, he is not providing a recollection of the specific history of Khar'kov, Ukraine -- but rather bringing out the "condition humaine" of this city. Characterized by industry and Factories, by newly installed Coca Cola billboards as well as socialist architecture, Khar'kov provides the backdrop for Mikhailov's moving portraits. He describes the decay of social structures as well as of individual lives. We witness street kids taking drugs, adults in search of food, trying to re-install their social self by cleaning their bodies in the artist's own house. Despite the devastating poverty, the women and men in Mikhailov's images look back at us with great dignity. Their eyes express an unbroken will to survive in a social system that has fallen to its lowest possible level Mikhailov depicts very warmly the harshness of everyday life in a society not as far away from ours as we might think.
- GenresPhotography
478 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 2, 2026
Some post-Soviet grotesquerie for your pleasure.
Just not that aesthetically moving for me, personally. I'm glad I "read" this tho.
Just not that aesthetically moving for me, personally. I'm glad I "read" this tho.
March 18, 2008
Makes Tulsa look like Anne Geddes.
March 9, 2009
pictures of diseased homeless russians. at least as "real" as nan goldin or diane arbus. but not as real as it purports to be, still, its captivating and disgusting.
September 30, 2019
The books shows shocked photos of post-Soviet reality through numerous portraits of homeless people.
Personally, I don't like the book aesthetic but the conception is too strong and the book has interesting narrative-like structure.
Anyway, to understand the book you must read the first few pages. It's really important author's prologue for his work.
Personally, I don't like the book aesthetic but the conception is too strong and the book has interesting narrative-like structure.
Anyway, to understand the book you must read the first few pages. It's really important author's prologue for his work.
March 12, 2019
I mean I think this art is very important but I do not want to look at it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews