Wonderland : A Fairytale of the Soviet Monolith
Jason Eskenazi
World Picture News
The USSR was not only a vast, closed territory with extensive geographical boundaries that stretched from Europe through Asia, but is also a huge well of memory or dis-memory - a utopian vision that became a dystopian nightmare lasting nearly a century. The story of Communism is THE story of the 20th century.
Preview
For many, the Soviet Union existed, like their childhood, as a fairytale where many of the realities of life were hidden from plain view. When the Berlin Wall finally fell, so too did the illusion of that utopia. But time changes memory. The ex-Soviets confused the memory of their innocent youth for their nation's utopian vision, unable to confront its history and thus creating nostalgia for tragedy. My work tries to seek and portray both the reality beneath the veneer, and the affirmation of hope that should never be abandoned.
I dedicate this exhibition to my friend photographer Nikolai Ignatiev 1955-2004.
