Small is beautiful

Alexandra Catiere / Jefferson Hayman / Yamamoto Masao / Irina Polin / Anna Skladmann

Exhibition: 29 June - 31 August 2013

A collection of photo-miniatures of Pobeda gallery is a world-opening through a small scale of the image. When small form is employed around the world, it allows to surface surprising depth and attenuation of connections between inside and outside.

Alexandra Catiere/France/Belarus. The emptiness dynamic, preceding or ensuing anything — the kids that shoot ladder recently, the quasi-station-buffet empty desk, the far bay bank, seen bacause of the ephemeral lights garland, the crowd nests high in a misty trees — concentrated emotions on the small baryta cards. At a glance them are looks similar to those ones you could find among vintage prints, maybe because of the print quality, or maybe not. Alexandra Catiere reaches the special cinematographical view stage, resulting from appropriate practice. Belorussian-born she studied in New York, worked as an Irving Penn assistant, and draws out her works to the universe from the dark room in Paris.

The moments of joy that Anna Skladmann/Russia/Germany captures as if with a butterfly net to insert in her polaroids evoke those stirring memories that each has in his innermost. Country promenades, comradely sojourns, a walk in the sunset lea. Akin to the day’s first sun rays these images rouse one from gloom, unlock a kind of inner vision gazing at what had been, and what intends to be. Similar to universally raptured instagrams, the images hold some considerable distance with the nowness, instead becoming nonchalant salutes from the not-been, but not a document, even in its intimate registers. The distance is programmed by the photographer: each image is taken in large format, guiding a cinematic, magical screen in its viewer.

Irina Polin’s Russia/Switzerland special project consists of miniature objects — photographs in carefully chosen frames with a peculiar world under glass, that add not just volume but an unusual dimension. Like a snow globe, each elegantly produced work immerses the viewer in a make-believe world, full not of poignant memories, but rather of slight suspense, the resolution to which is as effortless as Hitchcock’s riddles. However, before resolving it, one at first needs to experience child-like dread before a mysterious object — while looking at the world under glass. Soul and Magic, in rectangular frames, are a double game with lenses, glasses, frames, and glances. The photograph presents a fragment of a narrow-windowed chamber with a round console glass, which would terrify anyone who dares to peek into it. It is the messages inscribed on confetti that bring in the intrigue. In other works in the series, with round-like, thick frames, there are confettibounded porcelain rabbit, ballerina and other characters. Those images dynamic, being printed on the fine paper, holding back inside the frame only with a strong glass.

Jefferson Haymann's / USA vintage frames and mirrors collection are reflecting the romantic poet is sight over the sea. The circular image ares reminds one of a ships porthole. The peace and the power of infinite ocean, its exaltation, thoroughly captured by Jefferson Haymann, is literally framed into the antiquity. Whimsically he clarifies that he is obsessed with an urban environment, an ocean which exalts ones and throws down others. Practicing vintage printing techniques, Haymann creates both an actual and timeless platinum-printed objects, his works can be found in many private and public collections, most notably The Museum of Modern Art.

Masao Yamamoto's/Japan silver-gelatin prints are capturing something pretending to be so familiar.The recipe is clear — his works aged texture reminds us of the Norshtain is multiplication image naivety and fineness. Actually the mysterious character turns out the monkey, the trees are transforming to the peacocks, boys — girls, stones — butterflies. Masao Yamamoto capturing the light and the whole world, until it is transition to the darkness. Magic pieces, taking us a child within its immediacy face-to-face closeness.