Photographer of the Week #194: Olya Ivanova

Russian photographer Olya Ivanova uses her work to document and deconstruct nuances within Russian culture. Ivanova focuses on communities outside of urban centers, the work portrays the simultaneous expression of traditionalist and modern values within these communities, and the ways these values inform a larger sense of nationalism and Russian identity. When speaking about her series “Village Day” Ivanova states:

“Everyone goes to their roots, looking for a cultural identity. I’m interested in [what this process looks like] in Russia, where we have new wave of patriotism and the surge of national consciousness. I have photographed the most traditional part of Russian society — rural people celebrating Village Day. A festival of ‘small homeland’ and village life — a mixture of traditional ceremonies, legacy Soviet rituals and modern pop music. What do our roots look like? If I am Russian, who am I?”

For more information on Ivanova’s work check out her website.