Сhildhood of many faces
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Transcript of Сhildhood of many faces
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 1
Photo project
«Saint-Petersburg. Childhood of many
faces»
Yana Feldman
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 2
The aim of my project is not simply to make the portrait photos of children of
different nationalities. I'm looking for families where the family, national traditions
and customs are really saved. In my opinion, this project is interesting, and
probably differs from any other of the same theme by the fact, that I find these
children in one city - St. Petersburg. I don’t travel to the hinterland of the country
especially, and in other countries where such families are common. St. Petersburg
is the cosmopolitan city of several million inhabitants. Every family has its own
cultural and traditional features, with the character and quality of life, with the
habits and preferences.
Unfortunately, too little families keep even any family traditions (for
example, Sunday dinners, recipes from their grandparents, and skills from father to
son, etc.), and mind of their historical roots a fortiori. Perhaps this is because big
city forces people to assimilate, to live in a different rhythm, subordinates its own
rules.
It may seem that all my heroes are ordinary children, but of different age and
appearance. But it is not true. I set myself the task to open the door to the small
world of every family, to get acquainted with the culture of each character, which
is stored only inside and not visible from outside. Family, lifestyle, religion – all
these are just begin to govern the children and we can only guess about his future
fate. All of this I would like to show in genre scenes and portraits, with children as
the main characters. They may be alone or in a group, with their parents or
teachers, but their presence is obligatory. Representing the people of different
nationalities in my project, I want to show those children who, despite the fact that
they live in St. Petersburg, don’t forget their traditions, celebrate holidays, study in
special schools, and follow in their culture. In my opinion, no one can honestly
convey the emotions and mood but a child.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 5
Inas studies in the second class ordinary Russian school in Saint-Petersburg.
Her father, a Muslim from a distant African country, Sudan, lives in Russia for
over 10 years. Together with Inas’s mother they all make a very friendly and
lovely family.
Inas adores ballroom dancing, speaks Russian fluently without any accent and
externally (except for dark skin) does not differ much from their peers. But at the
same time, their family has every day breakfast with national dish of African
beans, which are eaten only by hand without spoons (!). Inas knows Arabic and is
able to pray in way that her father taught her. And she dances with great pleasure
in traditional dress of Sudanese women at home only behind her parents.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 7
Danir lives in Saint-Petersburg. His great-grandfather lives in small village
near Kazan – more than 1000 km. far from. He is a religious leader there – mullah.
Every year Danir’s great-grandfather and great-grandmother visit his family and
guest for a week or two. It is the time when Danir teaches holy Koran. The book is
very old. It is a relic, that he will get sometime. The real link of generations.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 9
Twelve years old Aisha comes from a mixed family: her father is from India
and her mother is from Russia. She is engaged in traditional Indian dances.
Father’s family from India presented her the authentic sari and a set of jewellery
especially for these dancing lessons. She looks like a native Indian girl in such
clothes, but a “chandra” (a point on the forehead) that she makes up every time
before a performance and wipes afterwards.
Aisha has several times been staying at her Indian relatives in Rajasthan and
wishes to return back again.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 11
Danila is 11 years old. He is a schoolboy in a closed religious school for
Jewish boys - the yeshiva. Every morning begins with prayer at school. Boys also
pray in the afternoon and in the evening. There's generally a lot of prayers in
yeshiva.
Danila enjoy learning. He still wears a kippa (head dress), but after 2 years he
will have a bar mitzvah - age ceremony for Jewish boys. After that he will wear a
black hat with wide brim. Danila wants to finish yeshiva and to become a rabbi, as
once in the early 20th century was his grandfather.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 13
Son U Hun and his friend Hon Son Mu belong to the families of businessmen
from South Korea. Their families live in one house in the center of Saint-
Petersburg. They visit each other every day. Son U Hun and Hon Son Mu are very
glad to have an opportunity to communicate with their peers from the same country
as long as they live far from their homeland.
Boys are studying in an English school for foreign children in second grade.
Also they study playing Buk drums in the Korean youth cultural center, where
there are a lot of guys from such families as their in Saint-Petersburg. Studies are
very difficult still, but they both really try well to perform at a future concert and
please their parents. Son U Hun's sister in the same center is engaged in traditional
dances Soane.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 15
Lyuli is one of the eastern branches of the Gypsies, common in Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. The average standard of
living in Lyuli is extremely low.
Realizing themselves a distinct ethnic group Lyuli traditionally identify
themselves as Tajiks and, occasionally, Gypsies. However, the Russian Gypsies
don’t accept Lyuli for relatives and don’t help them. Lyuli rarely can be seen in
Saint-Petersburg. According to the close - they do not differ much from Gypsies
(so the native inhabitants suppose). But there is one characteristic feature – you
will never watch a man in the group of Lyuli. There are only women and children.
It is often Lyuli, but not the Russian Gypsies, who can propose you fortune-telling.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 17
The family of young Seyfullah - are hereditary rope-walkers and circus
performers from the Kyrgyz city of Osh. His grandfather is the Honored Artist of
the national circuses of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, who has worked in the arena
over 25 years. All Seyfullah’s brothers, sisters, uncles and other relatives are
involved in the performances. One big family, they are all touring in the CIS
countries, wandering from one place to another. Their performances are known far
beyond their native city. They are frequent visitors to the fairs and summer
festivals in Saint-Petersburg.
Seyfullah is only about 3 years old. But he confidently walks the trapezia the
height of 12m. like a real rope-walker. Although he is taken to that height with the
help of adults. Like a true artist he sends kisses to the spectators after each his
performance. This is his real life for the present days.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 19
Valentine lives with her family in the Gypsy village in the suburb of Saint-
Petersburg. Kelderash (Valentine’s family belongs to such group of Gypsies) often
give their children such unusual names.
There is no central water supply in the village where they live, so Valentine,
as well as most of her peers, every morning walks with bottles to the water pump
station at the boundary of the village to collect drinking water for cooking.
Valentine dreams to attend school together with all other children. But now he has
no opportunity to succeed in it.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 21
Young Emili speaks fluently native Japanese, learns English in the school, but
doesn’t know Russian at all, and still writes hieroglyphs badly. She studies in
Japanese closed school like most of children from Japanese diplomats and
businessmen families in Saint-Petersburg. From the yearly childhood she learns
national language, culture and traditions.
Emili family came to Russia from the USA, where her parents worked before.
While living in New York she attended just the same school, where she began to
learn the art of calligraphy.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 23
Safi and her best friend Ryana teaches Arabic alphabet in the special Muslim
center in Saint-Petersburg. They are very young. To make the learning easy and
fun, their teachers feigned a special game: girls write the characters on the flour
and then erase them, if they are mistaken. Safi writes quickly and always helps her
friend.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 25
Irene is 6 years old, but she already loves to cook and help my grandmother in
the kitchen. From generation to generation in their family passed branded
prescription Georgian national dishes "hachapuri in Adjara."
Grandmother says little Irene, to hachapuri turned out really tasty and juicy -
should try very well to the test. And let until Irenka not everything, and she sees it
more as a game, though, it seems that without her help in the kitchen is not enough.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 27
Lezghinka - is a specific dance. It not only teaches a sense of rhythm, ductility
and toughness, but even the little boys makes real men, proud, noble, respectful of
women!
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 29
Arthur, Anna and Arina feel very comfortable in the church on the Nevsky
Prospekt. For them, this atmosphere is pleasant and familiar, since childhood, they
are with their parents often visit this special place for Armenians.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 31
This boy, with jet-black eyes, recently lived in St. Petersburg, he goes to the
Muslim center, where he studied Arabic, the Koran and other subjects. It is still
difficult for him to socialize with other children and teachers. He misses home, not
so long ago his family moved from sunny Uzbekistan.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 33
Buryats - carriers of one of the most ancient religions - Buddhism, they have
for nearly one hundred years, as have its own church in the northern capital. It is
considered to be in the order of things to speak their native language: with llamas,
leading the service and the reception of parishioners, as well as among themselves.
It's no secret that apart from their historical homeland, many people begin to
lose language practice, forget their own language, to say nothing about the children
who are totally immersed in the European Petersburg culture. It should be noted
that when datsan running a special Sunday school, where with everyone involved
in the Buryat language.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 35
Aaron and Layla are cousins. They grow up in mixed families where mothers
Turkish woman and fathers are Belarusian and Ukrainian. Kids make their first
steps in studying national Turkish art master "Ebru" - a painting on the water.
While it turns out not much, but it's a matter of time!
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 37
Little Andrew still attends the kindergarten, but he already knows very bright
Russian Orthodox holiday of Easter. Together with their parents every year, he
said it, planting seeds and coloring eggs.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 39
Armenian Trndez holiday – is a holiday of honeymoon, but Armenians mark
his whole family, from small to large. First they light candles in the church, and
then jump over the fire.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 41
Danya is a student of yeshiva - Jewish boarding school. Here he is brought
within the Jewish culture, learning traditions, language and religion of his people.
Danya wears wide-brimmed hat - it means that he has already reached Bar Mitzvah
- the Jewish majority. According to the Jewish tradition of legal age in boys comes
in thirteen years.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 43
Ilkin comes from the Dagestani family. Twice a week he goes to study Caucasian
peoples dances. It develops in boys courage, stamina, sense of rhythm. But he
studies not only dancing, - also he plays the Caucasus drums!
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 45
Personal exhibitions
Personal exhibition in Saint-Petersburg State Academic Capella gallery. Russia,
Saint-Petersburg. 14.01-28.01.2013.
Personal exhibition in Belarusian National Technical University gallery. Belarus,
Minsk. 06.03-17.04.2013.
Personal exhibition in Tallinn Photo Museum. Estonia, Tallinn. 04.12.2014-
06.01.2015.
© Yana Feldman http://feldmanyana.com Page 46
Photo project
«Saint-Petersburg. Childhood of many
faces»
Contacts
Yana Feldman
Russia, Saint-Petersburg
Mob. phone: +7-952-2217086
http://feldmanyana.com
http://feldmanyana.com/childhood-of-many-faces/