Presentation of the book «Donbass» of the photographer Aleksandr Chekmenev

Entrance – free, with registration in advance. The registration by phone 050 477 26 20 or by e-mail: [email protected]

December 10, 13 PM

Presentation of the book. Book-signing

The book «Donbass» is an honest story – sometimes rude but still very human.  There are no syllogisms, artistic curtseys, beauty of images; its author does not flirt with the audience and does not give any hope. The artistic style of Aleksandr Chekmenev is precise and represents a bitter core of miners’ days, joyless flow of thoughts about work and meaning of life.

In Chekmenev’s Donbass the work of a miner hymned in the Soviet Union has gained another aspect. The coal – black gold of the epoch of socialistic ideals - is considered to be in his photography no more noble fuel but rather soulless raw material. In this meaning coal is a refuse stone of another period of Donbass history when its winning is only a struggle for survival, often death and in best case – measurable income for workers.