Being a photographer is not as unusual as it was in the days before digital cameras. However, over the past few years this form of art has become more than just shooting photos. A new exhibit called "On The Edge" (Na krayu), aims to demonstrate exactly how the craft has been changed.
Russian "roofers," or people who try to get onto the roofs of various buildings and structures, have created a new style of photography, capturing cities' panoramas and landscapes with their cameras. While cityscape photography is by no means new, the forbidden nature of the sites where many of the photos were taken, adds an aura of intrigue to the process and opens a window into the private world of the roofers
Being a roofer is not for the faint-hearted. Getting on a particular roof can require a lot of time, effort and perseverance, as well as the ability to run fast from the guards and police. Roofers do all these things for amazing pictures and unforgettable thrills.
"We catch and look for emotions, which is not enough in everyday life. There is an enclosed power hidden in every photo," said Pavel Makarov, the exposition's organizer and one of the artists. "A lot of photos are generally made from places, that are hard to reach, and this is their power and value".
From Vladivostok's bridge to Russky island, and Stalinist buildings to the Cologne cathedral, visitors have an opportunity to go to the edge of great heights, feel the tremors in their legs, sinking of the heart, the breath of cool wind and the rush of adrenaline without any risk to their life.
"This exhibition is not the propaganda of suicide and reckless actions, but simply a desire to bring those moments and the atmosphere which you feel while sitting on the edge," Makarov added. "For me, it is a way of self-expression and self-improvement: I am very afraid of heights, but life becomes real when you confront your phobias and fears."
Views from the world's rooftops are available from Oct. 20 to 23 at Club Manifest, 24 Myasnitskaya Ulitsa, Bldg. 1, metro Chistye Prudy.
Contact the author at artsreporter@imedia.ru
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