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 are portraits taken in the Russian countryside, a project to which she returned in 2015-18. Bezhin Lug 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.” The image of Liana Woloboewa is of a young woman in a full-length dress and high heels sitting on the edge of a bed. Her formal attire suggests she may be attending an event or ceremony, yet the portrait by Khoroshilova is casual and calm. She depicts Liana just as she is.