By Vladimir Samsonov
Tatlin’s Dream. A Photo Project by Mitya Shostakovich, is on show at the Vitebsk Centre of Contemporary Art, featuring about 20 black-and-white photos shot two years ago. It coincides with the 25th Ivan Sollertinsky international music festival, being held in Vitebsk.
Mitya notes that all the shots are interconnected, explaining “The collection tells of Tatlin’s dreams of fighting evil. It begins with Simple Invigorating Musical Sounds, then culminates in Storm and the defeat of evil in Youth-Beauty-Strength, before finally fading out.” The streets of Moscow inspired the works, supplemented by a shot called Before the Attack, taken in the south of France, at the Maginot Line.
Vitebsk is the first town to host the entire collection, as only separate works have been previously exhibited. Mitya tells us, “I’m in Vitebsk for the first time, as well as making my first exhibition here. It’s a welcoming place so I think I’ll return with a more optimistic project.”
The photographer’s father, well-known Russian conductor and pianist Maxim Shostakovich, was present at the opening.
