Today in the Moscow Museum of Modern Art opened the exhibition of British photographer James Hill, timed to celebrate the 65 anniversary of victory in WWII

Today, 29 April, at 19.00 in the Moscow Museum of Modern Art (the Boulevard, 9) will open the exhibition of British photographer James Hill's "Victory Day", which is part of a parallel program "Biennale 2010". The exhibition is timed to celebrate the 65 anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, combines black-and-white portraits of Russian veterans made during the past four years.

The idea originated in 2006. James Hill, struck the Russian tradition of honoring veterans of World War II, decided to withdraw them on film in Gorky Park during the celebration of Victory Day. The preparations were minimal: on the stand threw a white cloth, against which the shooting of elderly characters. In 2006, the photographer was shooting for women only: the war at the front, fought more than a million women, which was unprecedented in scale example of women's mobilization. Despite an initial desire to complete the project in the same year and to limit women's portraits, James Hill returned to Gorky Park May 9, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and created a new series of both female and male portraits.

For four years, James Hill made portraits of more than 400 veterans. Each of them gave the photographer a snapshot of gratitude for what they allowed themselves to be photographed. Some of these artists saw only once and never met ... "I am aware that time is running out and every year there will be less and less. It seemed that I had a last chance to capture the faces of veterans while they are gone from us, depriving Russia of its most obvious link with the Second World ... "- says the photographer.

In photographs by James Hill, as in a mirror, reflects the history of modern Russia with the whole ball of deep and varied experiences. Those of his characters are conflicting emotions - happiness is mixed with loneliness, grief mixed with pride. The author explains his approach to the creation of the project: "When I take off the veterans, I do not aspire to the heroic pathos. Each of them, and so the hero. I often make on 6, 8, even 12 shots in a row, and after several personnel changes pose photographed, begins to overlook something secretive. For the most part they are not used to having to do with them more than two frames. And so when I shoot them a little longer, usually hidden feelings break out to the surface ».

Portraits of Russian veterans of James Hill and received responses from outside Russia - in 2007 they were published in a special issue of American Photo.

exhibition is open to the public from April 30 to May 23.

Source: mmoma.ru