ULDUS BAKHTIOZINA

Uldus Bakhtiozina is a Russian photographer who uses photography to share her vision of Russian folklore and fairytales.

Her images are rather artistic and elegant in composure, however the stories behind them are often dark with hidden meanings.

The artist herself says the project's aim 'Was to show through the prism of art photography, unsaid, rewritten or distorted over many centuries of history and stories, delving into the study of the origin of words in Russian fairy tales. Each tale contains numerous hidden messages and I aim to lift the audience back inside each myth, showing a glimpse of their secret meaning, with careful reading of the tale'.

Uldus combines modern day technology and art techniques with traditional views and perceptions of Russian fairytales, which my work can relate to, apart from my subject is very real. 

Russian fairytales often originated from horror stories, hence why the artist aspired to show the darker side of these now softened tales.

Vogue states 'Bakhtiozina pushes her audience to modify their views, expand their narrow perceptions, think deeper and stimulates their imagination with a vengeance.'

and I can completely agree; her work offers a harsher, more dark visual for the audience to play with in their minds instead of hearing the same old story over and over, pushing them out of their comfort zones.

This image is titled 'BIG EYES OF RUSSIAN SOUL'.

After a bit of research I found that the Russian Soul is used to describe a Russian identity. As an English person not being familiar with Russian fairy tales, I did struggle to see what this was about, however the red and the decorations did remind me of a Russian doll, which could be a sign of traditional beauty and valuables, and how people all represent the same thing.

This is a great example of an image meaning something different for different viewers; the artist as a Russian would have had a much clearer insight, and a Russian audience would be more likely to understand this.

Luckily, on her website she briefly explains the image:

'This work represents all secrets the world could’ve thought about Russians, oil baths, loads of meat, gold, stones. Eyes are widely open illustrating the openness of Russians, but symbolism illustrates the complexity of the whole nation, mixed with ethnic groups, religions, nationalities, not fully understood by them themselves. '

The intention of the image is very different to my interpretation because I don't have to live through these complexities, and I can't relate to how Russian's believe the world sees them. However, after reading her description and looking back at the image it does make sense and I can see how each part of the image implements her meaning.

This image, ALL HER DOWRY, at first seems to have an innocent look about it; the soft tones, floral and delicate cups and soft skin. Her makeup, like her eyebrows and lips also add to this soft look, which is further emphasised by the way she doesn't look into the camera, which would have caused a kind of harshness and knowledge of the audience.

It's clear that the cups on her ears represent headphones, as we can see the wire attached to a small matching teapot in her hand.

Her post and the lace make her appear almost doll like; somebody without her own mind, controlled by others.

The description on her website says;
“All her dowry” illustrates young girl which is getting ready for marriage (normally in slavic culture around her early teens), preparing her dowry, without which she wouldn’t been taken from parents house, that would normally be tableware. The most valuable would probably be the Gzhel. The head dress had been made (by Uldus) to bring to mind associations with music, as a remedy from sadness and still the symbol of youth."

Ghzel is a Russian style of ceramics, and therefore is very relevant to Russian culture. It also links to the Russian way of living, referencing young marriage. In a TED Talk, the artist explained how young women were taught growing up that being a young wife meant being successful, and so women often try and get married as early as possible. She mentions that without this dowry, she wouldn't have been taken from her parents house, and then we come to realise how sad this image really is; it feels as if she's being taken for the material goods rather than for her. The inner darkness of the image has then been revealed.

These images are very powerful and talk about serious issues in an artistic way; she manages to make the images look beautiful to look at, but what she includes in the image has a deeper meaning. The beauty is a mask of the ugly beneath. I love that idea and I really want to attempt to implement it into my own work.