Editorial: Photo Essay / Story (PROFESSIONAL) - HONORABLE MENTION
ABKHAZIA

Photo © Ksenia Kuleshova
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ABKHAZIA
There is an old legend the Abkhaz people like to tell to the visitors: When God gave each nation its place under the sun, the Abkhaz was too busy taking care of his guests so he came late and there was no land left for him. But God remembered the great hospitality of the Abkhaz so he gifted him the only place left where God himself wanted to live - the small region on the shores of the Black Sea.
Unfortunately the real life is only a distorted reflection of this legend. Abkhazia, once one of the most beloved touristic regions of the Russian Empire and later of the Soviet Union, is really a lost place on the world map. Officially still a part of Georgia, separated after the civil war of 1992, it’s a state recognized only by Russia and just a couple of other countries.
The small stripe of land between the sea and mighty mountains of Caucasus, only a fifth of the size of Netherlands, it is long forgotten by the global media circus as well as by international politics. Without any real industry, infrastructure or educational power it exists from occasional nostalgic tourism from ex-USSR citizens, foreign Abkhaz diaspora and scarce russian alimony.
The story „Abkhazia“ is a portrait of country that is caught in a two decade long sleep without any signs of waking up in sight. It researches the every day life of people who try to exist within this uncertainty, within a system that doesn’t have a future and doesn’t seek one.
Living apart from my family and friends and sometimes struggling with stereotypes about Russians made my way a bit complicated. But that's what also makes it much more interesting. I am always open to new experiences. Leaving in Germany over the past five years, I got a chance to experience a lot and meet so many outstanding and talented people.
In 2012 I was awarded a scholarship at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a German political foundation. It's a great honor for me and I'm thankful for all the talented and outstanding people who I got a chance to meet through this program.
I am always inspired by the strength of people's characters and a passion for life, love, the aesthetics of beauty, art and traveling. I am open to new experiences, enjoy every moment of my life, try to never stop developing my personality. The progress is important for me, but even more significant is harmony.
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ABKHAZIA
There is an old legend the Abkhaz people like to tell to the visitors: When God gave each nation its place under the sun, the Abkhaz was too busy taking care of his guests so he came late and there was no land left for him. But God remembered the great hospitality of the Abkhaz so he gifted him the only place left where God himself wanted to live - the small region on the shores of the Black Sea.
Unfortunately the real life is only a distorted reflection of this legend. Abkhazia, once one of the most beloved touristic regions of the Russian Empire and later of the Soviet Union, is really a lost place on the world map. Officially still a part of Georgia, separated after the civil war of 1992, it’s a state recognized only by Russia and just a couple of other countries.
The small stripe of land between the sea and mighty mountains of Caucasus, only a fifth of the size of Netherlands, it is long forgotten by the global media circus as well as by international politics. Without any real industry, infrastructure or educational power it exists from occasional nostalgic tourism from ex-USSR citizens, foreign Abkhaz diaspora and scarce russian alimony.
The story „Abkhazia“ is a portrait of country that is caught in a two decade long sleep without any signs of waking up in sight. It researches the every day life of people who try to exist within this uncertainty, within a system that doesn’t have a future and doesn’t seek one.
About author:
I was born in Russia but spent my childhood in Minsk, Belarus. I graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University) with a degree in public relations. After winning Russian PR competition, I worked on the agency side for several years, but then decided to move to Germany and pursue photography. I spent the next three years in Hanover studying photojournalism and documentary photography at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Additionally, I got an opportunity to help organize the LUMIX festival for young photojournalists, Martin Paar's exhibition "WE LOVE BRITAIN" and do an internship at the Sprengel Museum of Hanover.Living apart from my family and friends and sometimes struggling with stereotypes about Russians made my way a bit complicated. But that's what also makes it much more interesting. I am always open to new experiences. Leaving in Germany over the past five years, I got a chance to experience a lot and meet so many outstanding and talented people.
In 2012 I was awarded a scholarship at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a German political foundation. It's a great honor for me and I'm thankful for all the talented and outstanding people who I got a chance to meet through this program.
I am always inspired by the strength of people's characters and a passion for life, love, the aesthetics of beauty, art and traveling. I am open to new experiences, enjoy every moment of my life, try to never stop developing my personality. The progress is important for me, but even more significant is harmony.
BACK TO GALLERY