March 12, in the Cultural Foundation «Catherine» Exhibition «Impressions. Impressions ... », which will see the work of Sergei Yastrzhembsky made in the technique of aerial photography

Cultural Foundation «Catherine», Moscow House of Photography and the national archives «GeoFoto» submit an exhibition of photographs of Sergei Yastrzhembsky «Impressions. Impressions ... ». It opens March 12 in the Cultural Foundation «Catherine» (Kuznetsky Bridge, 21 /5, gate number 8) and will run until April 5. At first it will show about 200 unique images created over the past three years, well-known Russian politician.

A little less than a year Sergey Yastrzhembsky left the office of Assistant President of the Russian Federation and the Special Representative of President of Russian Federation on cooperation with the EU in order to fully devote themselves to the favorite business - photography. 20-year hobby Yastrzhembsky today is the meaning of his life. The exhibition at the Cultural Foundation «Catherine» will be presented three series of large-format photographs, created by Sergei Yastrzhembsky, in recent years. All images included in the exhibit brings together «Imaging Technology» - they are created at an altitude of several hundred meters above the ground.

In his opening speech to the directory Sergei Yastrzhembsky wrote: «It is now difficult to remember exactly when I" podsel "on aerial photography. Maybe it all began with the roofs of the Kremlin and the bell tower of Ivan the Great, from the height of children who are familiar with the palaces and cathedrals are entirely different, new angle eye pleasing, and are indistinguishable from the ground parts. Or maybe lighter in my soul bogotvorimaya Tuscany, whose portraits from heaven the first time I made a basket from a balloon ».

The exhibition is divided into two sections: «Tuscany» (images placed on the first floor of the Foundation) and «Aeroimpressionizm» (three-room second floor). Each of the rooms of «Aeroimpressionizma» - this is a separate topic: Africa, Europe and Siberia, shown with the points and angles that were available, perhaps, only Sergei Yastrzhembsky.

curator of the exhibition, Director of the Museum «The Moscow House of Photography» Olga Sviblova says: «Sergei Yastrzhembsky in aerial photographs are primarily concerned with visual structure, abstract compositions, in the construction, texture and colors that reveal the differences between different continents and countries, determined not only by natural conditions, but also the impact on human civilization. Photos Yastrzhembsky show objective theory constructions Russian avant-garde. His brutally Africa and composition, and color. Its picturesque Europe, and more impressionistichna. These series are interesting in themselves, but even more interesting in comparison with one another ».

Visitors get the unique opportunity to compare countries and continents, imprinted with a bird's-eye view, and enjoy, you can tell, the ideal combination of song, texture and color created by nature, you see, and well photographed, Sergei Yastrzhembsky.

Sergei Yastrzhembsky of his obsession with photography

My passion for photography was not for any particular motive. Perhaps it started the same way as all (or many) lovers of photography - when you desire to capture moments of your life on the films and the most interesting and memorable save for as long as possible.

Most likely, the start was my first zagrankomandirovkoy, which began in 1981 when I went to Prague to work in the magazine «The problems of world socialism». In Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, I have a desire to get a camera. My first camera was a Japanese «soap-dish». What was the first picture, I certainly do not remember. But the main subjects of my amateur shooting was the family, and numerous trips to Czechoslovakia or tourist trip to Prague.

How long do you photograph?

Perhaps we can say that I am engaged in photography for over 20 years, but seriously understand the culture photography, mastering the specialized literature, visiting a photo exhibit and studying the photo albums, five or six years ago. It was then that I was seeking skills photographer. I think that the stimulus had my trip to Africa - first as a hunter. At some point I realized that I wanted not only to achieve results on the hunt, but also make wonderful pictures, beautiful places - a professional film camera. I bought Canon. After some time I have accumulated some material, which I believe at that time could be proud of. And when I ready to deal with the most serious photo (I can not say - professional, because at that time I was in the public service), through friends went to a famous photographer Lev Melikhov. And when I showed him my pictures, African, he looked, did not hear anything on the bone, but simply said: «Well, let's try» ... from which I learned that not everything is hopeless and that he «utsepilsya »our professionally sharp eye.

Did your attitude to photography lately?

attitude to what I do, has changed course. If in the past hunting was at the forefront, and photography, I worked as a «byproduct» - from time to time, in the last five or six years it has become for me a completely autonomous, requiring special attention and specific skills matter. I organized a special photo session, go for this purpose specifically in other cities or countries, removing from helicopters and small planes - thus accumulated the material for just issued an album «Aeroimpressionizm» ... So I began to give photo credit, in order to achieve the highest quality and an acceptable result. So, of course, my attitude to photography has changed dramatically and became much more serious and responsible.

Finally, I have their favorite genres. Previously, I was hard to decide: what attracts me most? I was shooting landscapes - urban and natural, photographed from the air and even in paparazzi-style, if you want: in the east, especially the Arab countries, where people do not like when they are photographed, connecting with the submission of their mystical movement shower. Tried macrophotography, black and white and color ... In the end, all the rights of the most successful genre in which I feel is best, and the results of the most visible and tangible, aerial photography has become.

Who are your favorite photographers?

Favorite photographers? With regard to Russia, then, of course, I'll primarily Lev Melikhov - not only because he is my «fotoguru» and teacher, but because he is really an outstanding photographer, which successfully works in the genre фотопортрета, and psychological, and perfectly oriented in other genres - for him there are no secrets and the boundaries of the profession. And if he is in good shape and is aimed at the result, his photography is always remembered.

With regard to foreign writers and photographers - here are the few major artists, whose style of photography is truly unique. They do not just make me a strong impression on his works, some of them have given additional impetus in my development as a photographer. First of all, it is very deep, penetrating sharp Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. His series, devoted to, say, gold miners in the mines in Brazil, or shooting reportage about the cataclysm of Black Africa amazes. Each picture - this is actually the whole drama, and sometimes tragedy. It is a different scope - a magnificent Italian photographer and friend of our family Listre Massimo, one of the best photographers of the world's interiors and the author of numerous albums, publications in all the leading design and architectural magazines, the person who shot the best palaces and houses of Italy, France, Morocco, Cambodia and other countries.

I'll have three authors. Two of them specialize in photography in Africa. There, I spend a lot of time and too captivated by the continent and the fotonaturoy with which they face. One of them - Michael German Police, the other - the South African photographer Steve Bloom. Their excellent albums on Africa, are for me, in fact, a reference book. And finally, another photographer - Jan Arthur-Bertrand, a Frenchman, one of the best, if not the best master of aerial photography. Perhaps, these names and I will confine.

Do you think your photos modern art? Why?

In that picture is art, I have no doubt. Inside there are a lot of photos of modern self-direction, say, Dortmund school ... a great number of photographers and artists who have created their own schools, and indeed raised the image to artwork. And no coincidence, these photos are an evaluation and the art market, many of them are successfully sold in galleries and at auctions conducted by the major auction houses of the world.

Are my photos modern art - is not me to judge, but those people for whom I photographed, and assessed themselves do not consider appropriate.

What kind of art is true?

I am not a professional art critic, though, of course, follow the current trends in the world of art. Visited the exhibition - not just photos, but also other forms of art, I try not to miss the premiere of the music. I think any art can be safely regarded as a modern, if it finds a response among his contemporaries, hurt them, excites their imagination, forces seen to pass through itself.

Please tell us about the choice of locations for shooting.

As I said earlier, many of the photo session took place in parallel with the hunt. Fotosumka which, incidentally, weighs about 12 kg, is constantly with me in these journeys. Often the time to pofotografirovat air. I mention a number of areas in which I was going to hunt, and then spent some time this photo: Taimyr, Yakutia, the Khanty-Mansiysk, Kurils. Taking Africa - the shooting was in Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique.

There have been special photo session, organized only for «hunting» for the picture: it was in Norway last summer, in Tuscany and Poland.

Why Tuscany? It attracts me in many ways. I think this is the most attractive region in the world, what I have seen in decades of travel, business trips, traveling around the world. Another corner of the earth - so rich in natural, landscape architectural, artistic values, so rich in its history and traditions - I do not know. In Tuscany there are several areas that are considered world heritage landscape. This is a rare score from UNESCO, which was given just a few Tuscan areas - because of either it is not comparable beauty of these places. You can tell a lot about Tuscany flattering words - in particular, the local cuisine, the hospitality of the people of the great historical formations that underlie today's life in Tuscany. There is literally surrounded by history you at every turn, and in many town, forts, monasteries, village can not help feeling that working time machine - and throws you somewhere far back. In general, Tuscany attracts me the most because of its remarkable internal harmony.

Africa interested in the other: their explosive colors, faces of people, the animal world ... I just started to implement a project related to Africa and want to gain material for a separate edition of the African people, their customs, traditions, holidays , ceremonies, their daily life.

Please tell us a couple of stories about the creation of any photos.

Recently, we have taken a great interest with colleagues filming a documentary film. Last year in Morocco filming our first documentary film, which is called «The last prisoners of the desert». We spent it so nomads who still maintain the traditional life of nomads, and has not yet been dissolved in a modern civilization. They represent today somewhere 2-3 per cent of the population of Morocco. And, although I am speaking in the role of not only the author's ideas, but debutant director, attached to the photo is so strong that every day I went to the shooting, be sure to keep your camera. Made a lot of pictures (not to say that this was a separate photo session, because the priority of all, was given to a documentary film) - I have always tried to find a moment to photograph people, landscapes that are incredibly picturesque. And many of the images made in Morocco, especially the desert, sand, dunes, derive from the documentary, and they all become a valuable part of my collection. Once we were in a traditional Berber wedding in the sand, which spent almost all day, shooting a documentary. There have been so amazingly beautiful, juicy, unusually for a European eye, that it was impossible to detach from the camera, some of these images has already been published in journals.

Does any of the images at the most beautiful?

Yes. While all the photos at all like a beautiful child, and between them is difficult to hold any difference ... I am talking about a series of snapshots taken in South Africa from the plane, which I particularly appreciate. Colors, texture and geometric language of the land so reminded me of Russian avant-garde painting of the last century, wanted to play it in the photo. These images are represented at the exhibition today, and I see them as a dedication of the Russian avant-garde. There are several images taken from a helicopter of the places in Tuscany, which I love - it is the hills between Siena and Florence in the valley of Val D'Orcha. I usually shot them «down», obezzhaya these places by car. At this time I was able to remove them from the air - and I got from this photo session a pleasure.

Which shot you have not yet done?

This question is not answered. I hope that the best shots are waiting for me ahead.

Source: Press Releases Cultural Foundation «Catherine», the Moscow House of Photography, and a national photographic archive «GeoFoto»