Wedding

The future that was promised to us is as realistic as the fully

staged living room in Bogatchenko’s photographs. They offer a

glimpse into the fragmented realities of young adults of Slavic

descent living in Finland, chasing a prosperity promised to

them by the dreams of their parents — a generation that witnessed

the exponential rise in living standards following the

collapse of the Soviet Union.

The photographs function as a collage of heritage, blending inherited

dreams with current expectations.

Bogatchenko utilizes stereotypical, internet-era depictions of

post-Soviet Eastern European homes to represent both history

and the present, mocking an imaginary future that currently

feels out of reach. In the background, the Helsinki

cityscape and its brand-new high-rise buildings loom; a vacant

lot stands ready for construction, implying that if you work hard

enough, your living room could be here.

The young woman in the photo becomes part of this landscape

of objects — the bride. Sitting in an arrogant pose reminiscent

of a fashion editorial, she looks directly into the lens, her eyes

framed by heavy "heroin chic" makeup as if demanding: “What

can you offer to your future?”

Text by Taru Kavonius