Imperial Mindset

The centrality of Empire in Russian culture and worldview,

via Prokudin-Gorsky’s early colour photography.

This project will be shot in April 2025 in Ukraine, showing the methods by which Russia built and maintained its Empire and hegemony from the days of Rus’ to the present day.

Prokudin-Gorsky was a Russian photographer creating some of the first colour images. He was personally sponsored by the Tsar to document the Empire between 1905 and 1915. He writes about the importance of indoctrinating the youth with ideals of Russian patriotism, focussed on the magnificence of Ukraine, Belarus and the Caucuses. His photography was intended to bind and unify a diverse Empire under Russian control.

This series will use his same photographic process.

All contacts and recommendations are appreciated.

L'Eglise Orthodoxe de Saint Anne à Exeter, avec le Rév. Dr. Brandon Gallaher // Вход в храм Святой Анны в Эксетере

Brandon is a co-author of "A Declaration on the "Russian World" (Russkii Mir) Teaching", a powerful document which has attracted over 1500 signatures, many of which are from Orthadox theologians. It is published by the Volos Acadamy.

It condemns the leaders of the Russian Orthadox Church (ROC) who are promoting this nationalist ideology, particularly their use of it to encourage and justify the war in Ukraine and to create division and damage within the wider Orthadox community.

Russkii Mir is a broad ideology centred on Russia's political, cultural and moral importance especially within a transnational Russian civilisation. This geographical area is based on a reimagined Holy Rus' - a precursor nation to Russia, Ukraine and the later Empire; it also encompasses anyone who speaks Russian language, or is ethnically Russian anywhere in the world. The ideology stands in contrast to the corrupt and corrupting West and the image of its modern, liberal (im)morality. These teachings have been accepted into both Church teachings as well as Russian Foreign Policy. (Photo 6 in this post)

Rev. Dr. Gallaher actively works to encourage ecumenical discussion between branches of Orthadoxy and interfaith dialogue, in part through his work with the Volos Foundation. He is a lecturer in Theology at the University of Exeter.
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Prokudin-Gorsky's body of work is peppered with ecclesiastical subjects: churches, monasteries, icons and relics. The Tsars maintained control of the Church by selecting bishops to a ruling Synod in this way ensuring the Church backed the Tsar's policies. As God's appointed representative on Earth, Orthadoxy was a fundamental pillar of the official ideology introduced by Tsar Alexander II: Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality. As Prokudin-Gorsky's sponsor, his photographic themes were chosen to meet with the Tsar's personal approval and glorification of his imperial majesty.

რუსული ტიპები // Russian Types, Tbilisi

P-G recorded ethnographic subjects while documenting the Russian Empire. Dagestan had risen against Russian Imperial rule in 1878, and was brutally suppressed.

P-G makes these portraits about 30 years later with the eye of an Imperial visitor. The names of his subjects are not recorded - they are merely 'Types': typical examples of __.

Georgia was also part of the Russian Empire and a place P-G photographed extensively. Since the start of the war, thousands of Russians have emigrated to make new lives in Tbilisi. Foreigners settling here tread the amiguous line between being guests in the country and being modern-day imperialists themselves. This line is scrutinised ever harder for Russians who live as guests in their now-independent former Empire.

Featuring Anton and Natalie.

Anton works with @after_russia_org to provide a platform for Russian speaking people who are against the war to re-evaluate the Russian past and find a new post-Russia (post-Imperial) identity.

Natalie is a visual artist and animator.
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P-G himself became an émigré in Paris as he fled the violence and danger of the early Soviet Union. He died in exile.

1024px-Leo_Tolstoi_v_kabinetie.05.1908.ws.jpg

Cotton. In Sukhumi Botanical Garden. Man standing next to cotton plants.jpg

Group of children. [Russian Empire]. Russian children sitting on the side of a hill near a church and bell tower in Belozyorsk, in the north of European Russia..jpg

Joining shop for the production of scabbards at the Zlatoust plant..jpg

Molding of an artistic casting. Kasli Iron Works. Production of artistic casting in the Kasli Iron Works.jpg

Night camp by a rock on the bank of the Chusovaia uncropped.jpg

Night camp by a rock on the bank of the Chusovaia.jpg

Relics of political oponents of Ivan.jpg

Saint Dalmat's hauberk and helmet. [Dalmatovo]..jpg