Anastasia Khoroshilova Moscow, Russia, b. 1978

Bezhin Lug (Bezhin Meadow) is the second major series produced by Anastasia Khoroshilova in her prolific career as a photographer. The series is comprised of portraits taken in the Russian countryside, a project to which returned in 2015-18. Bezhin Meadow is inspired by writings and films produced about transitional moments of the past, present, and future of Russia. For this project, she states, “I simply wanted to make familiar and individually recognizable the faces of the people who have lived for generations in a special, often tragic dimension of the history and time of my country. I sought for at least a glimmer of human hope, honor and dignity.” In Navolok, the strong linear perspective of the dirt road takes up the lower half of the frame. The shapes created by the land, sea, and sky become flattened, almost graphic. After a few moments of looking, it becomes clear that none of the typical road signs or safety guard rails are present on the bridge with water on either side. This presents a feeling of unregulated freedom, the freedom to sink or swim.