Photos with a nostalgic effect: the Gallery of Fine Arts will host an exhibition of photos taken with medium-format soap box

From January 5 to February 20, 2022 at the Gallery of Classical Photography an exhibition of the photographer Sergey Chubarov “Holga” will be held. Her exhibition will include more than 50 photographs, which the author created in the period from 2009 to 2015. Visitors will see atmospheric city and country scenes shot on color and black-and-white film with the Holga analog camera.

“Holga” is a cheap medium-format camera produced in China since the early 80s. It was originally intended for the poor and unpretentious citizens of the Middle Kingdom and Hong Kong. The plastic “camera for the people” later gained a cult status and became popular with photographers because of its “art” quality.

A camera with soft focus and instagram distortions in the style of retro or Lomography allows for a refined aesthetic. Maybe that’s why the pictures made by the author are so light, like airy. It is as if they “breathe”, and each of them has its own mood and character. These works don’t reflect the world as it is, but make it fairy-tale and magical.

“No earthly thoughts arise from Chubarov’s paintings. The unfathomable, impossible miracle. Each of the three thousand,” wrote an enthusiastic admirer of the author.

Many of Chubarov’s color photographs refer to the picturesque “mood landscapes” of Camille Corot, a 19th century French artist. Unlike the famous master, however, the photographer tried to produce an image that was more reminiscent of graphic art, with its stressed love for form and the plane. “If there is no beauty of form in the frame – how can you even call it a frame? I understand artistry as the presence and conscious use of form, and if there is no form, there is no art photography,” the photographer said.

The secret of getting the perfect shot, Sergey formulated it this way: “It could be a “simple” technical perfection sharpness, the right light, etc. .d.I could imagine a blurry picture with failures in shadows and still be able to call it good quality,” said Chubarov in his interview.

Sergey Chubarov 1971-2020 – born and raised in Tver region. Since 1988 I lived and worked in Zelenograd. Graduated from MIET, was engaged in development of electronic equipment. Participant of many individual and group exhibitions, winner of international photo contests Epson, Digital photo, Digital Art 2005, Photography Competition 2007 , author of four photo albums. Member of the American Union of Photo Artists.