Irina Popova was one of the five selected winners in last year's My Own Wilderness competition with her documentation of a young Russian couple trying to raise a child amid the chaos of drug addiction. The work received intense criticism when it was first published. The series pushed the boundaries of voyeurism, exploitation, and morality within the genre of photo-documentation.
When the Pussy Riot trial was receiving heavy news coverage earlier this month, I thought about Irina Popova and wondered how she was reacting to these events. Was she documenting this story? In fact she was, and sent me a series of images from the past two weeks in which she spent protesting the verdicts.
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| Irina Popova, Balaclava (2012) |
PH/arts: Tell me what is going on in these photos.
Popova: This mask is called a balaclava and is used to cover the face to protect from cold, sun, or for anonymity. After the protest action of Pussy Riot singing the "punk prayer" against Putin in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour it became the symbol of modern Russian protest and activism.I started wearing it on the day of the court verdict as an action of support and solidarity. I wore it in the intercity train, metro, streets and near the court building during the demonstration. After I knew that the girls were condemned for 2 years in prison, I decided to wear the mask as the solidarity and memory act every day, and at least for some time in the public space until they are freed. This is my individual action, but it can happen to become a mass movement, and I expect the balaclava to become in fashion this season.
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| Irina Popova, Balaclava (2012) |
PH/arts: Was there any risk to you in wearing it out in public?
Popova: Wearing it can't be officially forbidden as a part of clothing. I was arrested only once, while putting flowers on the memorial of those who were killed during the August Putsch of 1991 - the fighters for freedom which is disappearing now. I was released 2 hours after the arrest without any formal charges.
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| Irina Popova, Balaclava (2012) |
PH/arts: Do you have any personal connection to Pussy Riot?
Popova: I know one girl personally, Ekaterina Samutsevich, we studied in the same art school (The School of Photography and Multimedia in Moscow).
PH/arts: After one or two days of intense news coverage in the US, this story has been quickly forgotten. Has it continued to receive coverage and reaction in Russia?
Popova: Not much has happened since then, people forget the news very quickly.That's why i decided to conduct my solidarity action every day.
PH/arts: Thank you Irina. Keep us posted on this subject and be safe.
Irina Popova's web site
