Бесплатный фрагмент - Catalog of the photo exhibition “Moment of Heritage – 2021”

Making photos has numerous functions in our lives. One of them is the photographic documentation of cultural heritage objects and landmarks. Making photos of UNESCO monuments can be called a particularly significant part of this area. The photo exhibition «An Instant of Heritage 2021» shows author’s photographs of cultural heritage objects of three countries: Russia, Italy and the United States. A documentary photographer from St.Petersburg, Sergei Shchekotov-Aleksandrov, and his camera visited the Russian cities of Murom and Veliky Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Peterhof; the Italian city of Florence and in the city of Julian in the USA.

About the Author

Sergey Shchekotov-Aleksandrov is an independent documentary photographer born in 1960 in Yekaterinburg. He has been living in St.Petersburg since 2014. He graduated from the Ural State University (Journalism Department) in 1989. Sergey specializes in photography of non-material and material culture, nature and everyday life, urban landscapes, museum institutions. He is a member of the Union of Journalists of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, a member of the Creative Union «Photo Art» (Moscow), has a blog «What do we know about Worldpressphoto», the channel «Kilometers of photographic roads» on «Yandex. Zen.» Sergey is an author and curator of various traveling photo exhibitions and documentary photography events held in different years in some regions of Russia (Sverdlovsk region, Nizhny Novgorod region, Vladimir region and others). Among them: «Photokaleidoscope: 150 Years of Photography», «Simple and Complex Impressions», «Photo studio Free Theme Plus Nature», «Silent Moscow», «India. Light and Stone», «White Color», «Open Air Museum — the City of St. Petersburg», «Cultural Monuments and Museums» and others. Photographer’s website: shchekotovphoto.ucoz.net.

About the Project

The series of photo events «INSTANCES OF HERITAGE» is a program of the Studio of photos of S. I. Shchekotov-Aleksandrov to popularize outstanding cultural heritage objects and UNESCO objects in Russia and in different countries, which involves the participation of a documentary photographer in the work of a large public event «St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum.» The photo program is held regularly, once every 1—2 years, and moves from one district of St. Petersburg to another. Usually photo events (photography evenings, photo exhibitions) are held in libraries. The program is being created with the participation of the Preservation of Cultural Heritage Section; since 2015, 5 events have been carried out: in the Gatchina district of the Leningrad region in the town of Gatchina (2016), in the Petrodvortsovy district in the town of Lomonosov (2017), in the Kurortny district in the town of Zelenogorsk (2018), in the Krasnoselsky district (2019), in Vasileostrovsky district (2020). In November 2021, the new photo exhibition «An Instance of Heritage» was created in the Central District of St. Petersburg for the new St.Petersburg International Cultural Forum.

The exposition of the photo exhibition consists of two sections: «Russian monuments of history and cultural heritage» (3 photo stories) and «Foreign monuments of history and cultural heritage» (2 photo stories).

The first section. Photo stories «Russian monuments of history and cultural heritage»

Photo story «Geometry of the Ancient City: Murom. 2019»

Murom is an ancient Russian city in the Vladimir region, founded in 862 A.D. The population of the city is just over 100 thousand people. Murom is located on the left bank of the Oka river.

The first mention of Murom can be found in the «Tale of Bygone Years». It was one of the cities under the rule of Prince Rurik. Despite its checkered past and long existence, the city has managed to preserve the appearance of a real Russian town in keeping with the best traditions. This is evidenced by many temples and monasteries, monuments and sights. The famous hero of epics, the warrior Ilya Muromets, who was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, was born in Murom.

In 2008, on the day of the 1146th anniversary of Murom, the water tower regained its original meaning: water flowed from its taps. But the water comes here not from the Oka river, but from the artesian well. An iron removal station has been installed in the tower, and the residents of Murom note that this water is soft, pure, and you can drink it without boiling. 2019

This is the hall of culture named after the 1100th anniversary of the city of Murom. 2019

A mother is in a hurry to kindergarten. 2019

A board with photos of the best citizens and mummies walking with their strollers. It’s so natural. 2019

The city of Murom. A scene from everyday life. 2019

Murom is so beautiful. 2019

Murom. The village of Verbovskiy. Along Leningradskaya street. 2019

The village of Verbovskiy. The composition of birdhouses near the school. «Blackbirds, fly to us! We will build you beautiful palaces.» The village of Verbovsky was formed during the Great Patriotic War, during the Siege of Leningrad, when a secret Leningrad military plant was evacuated here. Today Verbovskiy is a neighborhood unit with a population of about 30 thousand people. 2019

Photo story «Impressions of St.Petersburg. In the State Museum-Reserve «Peterhof.» 2014

The State Museum-Reserve «Peterhof» includes the sights of the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. I walked with my camera along the territory of the palace and park ensemble, which is located between the Grand Peterhof Palace and the coast of the Gulf of Finland. This area and buildings are associated with the founder of St.Petersburg, Peter the Great, and are a UNESCO object together with the historical center of St.Petersburg and a related group of monuments.

View of the Grand Peterhof Palace. 2014