FARAWAY, SO CLOSE! (2011)

The “Faraway, so close!” project is a result of 3 years of work and a starting point of Rogalev’s serious relationship with photography. It is his own documentation of the post-Soviet reality, where he tried to avoid clichés presented by news agencies and magazines. Instead, he concentrated on things that are usually overlooked. However, this is more of a fine art project than a documentary. Social and personal estrangement is both the main theme and the object of investigation. He tries to use estrangement as a tool to build images that go beyond it, and to explore the mystery of life.

In a post-Soviet reality marked by social disconnection and loss of ideals, the meaning contained in his works becomes even more profound. Life observed off-site may be clear, painless and beautiful, but it stops being life. When art loses connection with reality, it turns into farce.. This project is an attempt to overcome estrangement and alienation. Both of these phenomena become the objects of investigation. Estrangement itself is observed off-site, and everything turns into a spectacle within a spectacle, and a dream within a dream. This appears against the background of various geographical spots, which tie everything to a specific historical context. Meanwhile, the spectacle starts to consume itself, and alienation multiplied by alienation loses its meaning and turns into an attempt to get deeper and to catch a glimpse of the mystery that encompasses every moment of our lives. This is the point when art becomes life and life becomes art. We are an integral part of this universe, and we embody and personify this world. No matter how faraway and strange our life seems, it’s always here so close. We just need to turn our faces to it.

Egor Rogalev
born in 1980 in Leningrad (Russia), lives in Russia
egorrogalev.com ^[1]

^[2]The first time he was introduced to photography was while he studied at the faculty of journalism of the Saint Petersburg state university. At that time, the feeling that photography had already become an integral part of his life appeared for the first time. Yet, it took many years for him to get fully aware of it. Working as a designer and photo editor has made Rogalev sure that photography is really important for him as a phenomenon and a tool of self-realization. This feeling has finally made him fully concentrate on his own projects. In January 2011 his first small personal exhibition took place at Arte Fiera in Bologna in Italy, and then, some publications in both Russian and foreign magazines. In February 2012 his project ”, so close!” was exhibited at the Fotodepartament gallery in Saint Petersburg.

 

KLUB JAZZGA
Piotrkowska 17

slide show: 12.05, 9.30 p.m.