The Century Old Color Photographs of Prokudin-Gorsky

In 1909 a remarkable project was initiated by Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky. His mission was to record – in full and vibrant color – the vast and diverse Russian Empire. Here, with his story, is a selection of his amazing century old full color pictures.

Just over one hundred years ago a Russian photographer, began a remarkable project. With the blessing – and funding – of the Tsar, Nicholas II, he embarked on an extraordinary journey to capture the essence of Russia in full color photographs. Many of these pictures look as if they could have been taken yesterday, with only the costumes worn by the people captured in their moment of time betraying the age of the work. The first shows two men crossing a small river.

The Century Old Color Photographs of Prokudin-Gorsky

Image Credit Flickr User Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky

In 1909 a remarkable project was initiated by Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky. His mission was to record – in full and vibrant color – the vast and diverse Russian Empire. Here, with his story, is a selection of his amazing century old full color pictures.

Image Credit Flickr User Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky

Just over one hundred years ago a Russian photographer, began a remarkable project. With the blessing – and funding – of the Tsar, Nicholas II, he embarked on an extraordinary journey to capture the essence of Russia in full color photographs. Many of these pictures look as if they could have been taken yesterday, with only the costumes worn by the people captured in their moment of time betraying the age of the work. The first shows two men crossing a small river.

If You Have Never Wanted to Visit Saint Petersburg, You Will After Watching This

This is a stunning example of aerial motion photography at its very best.  The beautiful Russian city of Saint Petersburg is captured in all of its glory by Timelab, who enable us to see the place from heights and angles probably not captured on film before.  The result is an enchanting – hypnotising even – tour through this amazing city which the company call White Nights in Saint Petersburg.  Simply stunning.

FACTORY293

The Second World War is raging and in the blizzard struck hinterlands of the USSR Factory 293 is in trouble.  An inspection is due and the power has just gone out but that is just the start of the day’s difficulties for war-hero Grigori and his female workforce.

Written and directed by Roderick Mackay for Meaning Maker and Digital Media Arts, you may not believe this but FACTORY293 was filmed entirely in the much sunnier climes of Perth, Western Australia.  Yet although this is surprising in itself the strength of the film lies in its direction and the wonderful performances of the actors, particularly its stand-out leads Lizzie Schebesta and Myles Pollard.

A Very Brief History of Humankind

For the first time in a number of years ordinary Europeans have been talking about the possibility of imminent nuclear war.  As Belarus continues to tear itself apart and no one offering  any kind of real solution people are increasingly worried that the conflict (putative civil-war, essentially) will escalate over the borders of this beleaguered country and travel west.  When that happens who knows what will come next. A hundred years ago a little known archduke was assassinated and the rest, as they say, is history.

Moving Through Saint Petersburg

Take a whistlestop tour through the streets of St Petersburg. From 1732 to 1918 the city was the Imperial Capital of Russia and its many famous landmarks are testament to its history.  This timelapse was created by Geoff Tompkinson with an original soundtrack by with original music score by Vincent Jacq.

The video shows some of the best examples I have seen of hyperlapse techniques.  involves moving the camera while still shooting at a speed normally associated with time-lapse.  It’s a new technique and one that has been evolving recently - Tompkinson and his ilk are comfortably taking it to the next level with some huge, sweeping shots that make you wonder exactly how they were done.

The Leaning Tower of Yekaterinburg Leans No More: World’s Tallest Abandoned Structure is Demolished

Back in 2013 Kuriositas featured the Yekaterinburg TV Tower.  Construction started in the 1980s but faltered as the city felt the repercussions of the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Both loved and despised by locals, the 220-meter (720-foot) tower had stood unfinished since then.  Sealed to stop builderers (those who climb the outside of tall structures for fun) and BASE jumpers (those who jump off them for fun) it is our unhappy task to inform you that the tower was demolished on Saturday 24 March.  While the tower was not destined to be preserved for posterity, its demise was recorded from a number of angles.

Why, after so many years of inaction, has this finally happened?

Yekaterinburg is one of the host cities of the forthcoming soccer World Cup – it is after all Russia’s fourth city in terms of population and has undergone something of an economic boom lately.  Some of the country’s tallest and newest skyscrapers are in the city.  With the imminent arrival of tourists from all over the world hoping to experience the glamour of the World Cup, officials judged the TV tower’s continued existence to be no longer in the interest of the city. When rich relatives come to visit, the house gets a tidy.

There were demonstrations, of course.  The TV tower has become beloved by a fair amount of the local populace and those that cared organised a demo just before the demo (if you see what I mean) in order to give the tower one last metaphorical embrace: the demonstration was called Hug the Tower.

Yet the hug the tower received from the explosives, wrapped close to its base to produce a controlled collapse, was the mightier of the two.  Within seconds of the detonation the remains of the tower lay bereft in the spring snow.


The demolition was not inexpensive.  It cost 200 million roubles, which translates roughly in to 3.5 million USD.   In its place the city plans to build a new ice rink, right next door to the circus, the domed building visible in the background of the first video.

So, it’s goodbye (or more appropriately da svidania) to the leaning tower of Yekaterinburg: although you were too unsightly, too strange, too shabby to be saved, we will remember you.

If You Have Never Wanted to Visit Moscow, You Will After You Watch This

Moscow as the sun goes down is something to behold but like any other city in the world, when the stars come out so do those who want to have a great time. Alex Soloviev captures the Russian capital beautifully in this short film, Moscow Moves.  There is a lot to see in this grand old city, the very old; yet there is also a vibrancy to the youth culture which puts Moscow on a par with any other capital.

White Nights in Saint Petersburg

One of the most glorious cities on the planet (in more ways than one) Saint Petersburg is made doubly special because of its ability to survive through thick and thin.  Kirill Neiezhmakov, professional photographer and creator of timelapses and hyperlapses par excellence brings us his latest work.  I don’t know what to be more jealous of, his globe-trotting or his talents. Either way, once you see this, Saint Petersburg is likely going to be on your bucket list!

The Tallest Abandoned Structure in the World: The Leaning Tower of Yekaterinburg

As of 24 March 2018 the tower is no more.  Read our reaction and watch the demolition HERE.

Turn your eyes skyward anywhere in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg and you will see it.  A tall off-white, disheveled but somehow elegant tower is by far the tallest building in Russia’s fourth most populated city.

Yet this is not a monument to a fallen tsar or departed dictator.  It is a TV tower. What is more, it’s an unfinished TV tower.  Nonetheless it gives the city another claim to fame – as the home to the tallest abandoned structure in the world.

Image Credit Flickr User Andre Bulber

There are three parts to the building:  the trunk of the tower, the lower joint-work with the base and the metallic aerial. The tower has 26 floors in total (not accounting the floors which make up the base). The lifts were never installed.  Instead any visitors must clamber up the concrete stairs of the half-complete tower.  It is quite the local landmark.

The Manpupuner Rock Formations – Russia’s Seven Strong Men

In the Troitsko-Pechorsky District of the Komi Republic there is a flat plateau out of which seemingly burst seven pillars of rock. They are known locally as the Seven Strong Men.

Without a frame of reference you might think they are remarkable but small, noteworthy but only moderate in size. Yet take a look at the tent and the people in the right hand corner of the photograph and you realise that they are – quite simply – enormous. They range between 30 and 42 meters in height (98 – 137 feet).

Local legend has it that they are the remains of seven Samoyed giants. They were on a forced march through the Urals, heading across the mountain ranges to decimate the Vogulsky people. Their Shaman, the largest of the seven, beat a drum to keep his comrades moving relentlessly on towards their quarry. However, he caught sight of the holy Volgulsky Mountains. He let go of his drum and all seven giants froze to the spot.

Road to Victory: Projection Mapping the Great Patriotic War

Sila Sveta, specialists in leading-edge 3D Projection Mapping, 3D stage designs, multimedia shows were asked last year to create a permanent installation in The Museum of Great Patriotic War in Moscow. This projection mapping show is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory and covers all the major milestones of the war. This behind the scene glimpse shows the huge amount of work and creativity that went in to the project.

Black Square

Dancers Mikalai Radziush and Olga Lanceray give an emotive performance of Black Square, which I interpret as a couple on the verge of a pivotal moment in their relationship – will they stay together or will they part? That may not be what it’s all about (I often get these things wrong!) but see what you think.  With choreography by Elena Kuzmina and directed by Timo Zhalnin this is beautifully filmed contemporary dance at its best.

Hyperjump

If you like kinetic light sculptures then they really don’t get much better than this. Created by Tundra Collective, Hyperjump takes us to one of the halls of the former First Cadets Corps in Saint Petersburg.  There are 25 moving head light beams on truss stands with a powerful sound system for good measure.  When the light sculptures started to move, the electronic light devices come to life. It’s an 11 on the 1-10 scale of cool art.

If You Have Never Wanted to Visit Moscow, You Will After Watching This

Moscow in the summertime has never looked so good.  Timelapse and commercial maker Alexander Spirin takes us on a breathless ride through the capital of Russia taking in the sites such as Saint Basil's Cathedral, Novodevichy Convent and of course Red Square - as well as many other sights.  Seamlessly mixing time-lapse and hyperlapse, this is certainly a ride to remember.

Lavatory Lovestory

It is said that some men lead lives of quiet desperation - and the same could be said of some women too.  I must say that the title of this Oscar nominated animated short film did put me off a little but I should not have worried that I was going to see something that I would have preferred not to.

It tells the story of a single, middle aged lady who works as a lavatory attendant.  To all intents and purposes it looks as if there is little else in her life but her mundane job and she longs for company.  Making matters worse, of course, is that she is surrounded by unavailable men for the duration of her working day.  Then, one day, she finds flowers in the jar that is used to collect the payment for using the facility.  Is her life about to change?

I never thought that the words toilet and charming would go together, but this really is.  Simply drawn in black and white (except for, well - you will see) this animated short film has pathos and humanity in buckets (and it has buckets too, believe me!).

It was created by the Melnitsa Animation Studio, which is based in St Petersburg in Russia.  You may know them for the animated feature film Little Longnose which was released in 2004. It was directed by Konstantin Bronzit and produced by Alexander Boyarsky and Sergey Selyakov.

Enjoy!

Panacea

This is a collaboration between FIRMA, one of the one of the leading commercial design teams in Russia and Dmitry Malikov, the Russian composer, and singer whose recent successes include Pianomania, a mixture of Russian classical music and ethnic culture in a modern adaptation including instrumental music, dance shows and colorful performances. This combines his piano works with contemporary dance.

You also get to see Malikov riding by on a bike here (with it has to be said a rather quizzical look on his face) as a team of dancers interpret his music. Your own interpretation is, of course, up to you. I love the movements of the dancers here – the juxtaposition between the men and the women. It could represent how the world might turn if there were only women or, naturally the flip side – only men.  Or perhaps not – see for yourself and decide! Either way, it's very, very cool.

The Monastery Under The Lake

Image Credit Wikimedia

Take a trip up the Volga river in Russia and when you get to the small town of Kalyazin keep your eyes peeled for something unusual.  There, in the middle of an artificial lake stands something a little perplexing.  Is it a weird Russian form of lighthouse? Some weird folly built on an island?

Image Credit Flickr User Basykes

The answer is a resounding no.  During the 1940s the then Communist government had big plans to make the turbulent river navigable all year around.  So a cascade of dams and reservoirs was ordered on the Upper Volga.  It gave the region the much needed transport artery and hydroelectricity in to the bargain.  It also buried hundreds of years of history, of which the bell tower of the Makaryevsky Monastery is the only visible remnant above the waters of the Uglich reservoir.

Turnikmen – Street Gymnastics – Ukraine Style

I think it was George Bernard Shaw who said that youth is wasted on the young. Well, not these boys, that’s for sure. I haven’t seen so much youthful joie de vivre on video for quite a while but I do have to add the caveat that I suspect these boys are all mad bonkers.

Many of the stunts that these boys pull off here will slacken your jaw. Setting the scene, both of these videos were shot in Ukraine. The first was taken at school #1 in the town of Sambir (whence SoN who shot this hails). 

The boys all identify as Turnikmen – street athletes who perform strength exercises of varying complexity in an outdoor setting.  They combine acrobatics and gymnastics using a conventional horizontal bar.   Some of the things that they do here look dangerous to say the least but it is done with such swagger and confidence that it makes you hold your breath but still believe in their ability to pull off yet another spectacular move. They did, however, have to learn how to perform these amazing moves.  I suspect their mother’s probably live in constant fear and expectation of another trip to the local hospital!

See what I mean about mad bonkers? As an educator in the UK, who teaches the age group depicted here I have to say that the management of my institution would have three fits and a faint if anything like this was attempted on site – health and safety regulations would simply not allow it. Yet here the bars and straps seem to have been provided by their school. Different strokes for different folks I guess!

The second video above is once more filmed in the Ukraine – from Sambir again but also the towns of Drogobych and Kalyniv.

Matrioska

Here is a blast from the past – created by the National Film Board of Canada in back in 1970.  As such you may have seen it before, or at least remember something like it! I certainly do, I would swear that I remember this as a filler between Saturday morning kids' shows when I was a child. The uncertainty, though, adds to the pleasure of this simple stop motion animation as if this is not why I remember it then I have no idea why it is so familiar!

The matrioska, or Russian Doll, is a tradition going back to 1890 when it was invented. The trick is to get as many hollow dolls as possible, one inside the other – it can be as many as you like, the only rule being that the number has to be odd.

This is a very cool animation. It may seem a little clunky to our eyes now, being over forty years old but I love the way that the dolls keep their Russian reserve throughout, even when the smallest one can’t quite get the steps right!