MY STORIES

She’s waiting at home for her friends after work (video, 3 sec)

On a mission in Anapa (video, 17 sec)

A heated argument between investigators in front of the Main Directorate (video, 5 sec)

I was 9 or 10 years old, it was December, and I had been taken to a dacha in Strelna, near St. Petersburg, to visit my grandmother’s friend. There was a lot of snow and it was cold. In the small house, they were heating the stove, and you could lie on top of it. Nearby, there was a couch where many people I didn’t know were sitting. Everyone had gathered around the TV — a new episode of Banditskiy Peterburg (Bandit Petersburg) was about to start. At home, I was never allowed to watch it with my parents. But here, as a guest, I was lying on the stove and watching the episode about the Lawyer, Seryozha, and Katya.

Here are my imaginings about

march, 2025

At the Ladozhsky market, the rows seem endless.
A woman is shouting, rats are scurrying around, the smell of shashlik fills the air. Shady guys bump into each other, arguing about sneaker sizes. It feels terrifying to get lost here. I have to try on the jeans again, standing on a piece of cardboard. Then make sure to go around the puddle and not step in shit — or I’ll get yelled at.

august, 2022

When I was a little girl, I went to kindergarten on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg (Russia). It was always cloudy outside. It was always cloudy outside and the houses were always grey. One building had blue windows on the eighth floor, and I used to stare at them when I couldn't sleep during quiet time.

I also fell down a slide when I was 3 and was in hospital afterwards, wearing a collar. She's in the last picture

november, 2022

In 1997 or 1998 my mum, Natasha and I took a bus to Helsinki. It was my first trip abroad. I rode the slides in Serena (waterpark), it was scary and awe-inspiring, the slides were very big and I even lost my mum after one. I saw the organ and had my picture taken at it.

I fell asleep on the bus and I almost don't remember how we passed the border, most likely we were standing in the queue behind the aunts. I remember that I was carried in my arms onto the bus.

october, 2023

One day in the city of A. I was sitting on the seashore in a large company. We were watching the sunset. It was warm. Suddenly I felt unbearably lonely. I wanted to go home, to lie under my blanket and to wear a jacket, not a T-shirt in September. I wanted to cry. I cursed A., the sea, the sunset and the pebbles. I wanted to tell someone that I felt bad, but everyone was busy. There were more and more people, and I felt sadder and sadder.

And then I saw Max, who was pulling logs for the fire. I followed him and found a pallet, which he helped me carry to the shore. We threw rocks with him to break the boards for firewood. Then we made a fire for everyone. It was the only real thing I'd done all day, or maybe in a year. Or a week.

december, 2022