Description

“Baikalism” is a large photo series that serves as both a journey through the wild, still unexplored Siberian landscapes and an ethnographic snapshot that captures the everyday life and habits of the residents along the shores of Baikal — peculiar yet strangely familiar to us.

— Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. Many travelers who find themselves near Baikal speak of discovering a sense of self-sufficiency here, of a unique pull that draws them in and compels them to stay for years, during which the passage of time magically ceases to be perceived in the usual way.

I capture life around the lake and the people living that life. I yield to the soothing aura of solitude that envelops them, striving to understand their extraordinary Baikal identity. Since 2015, I have been intentionally exploring the communication between various groups of people and Lake Baikal in the context of the unique mythology of this space, often referred to as a place of power. I study the system of relationships developed between the locals, tourists from Irkutsk, and visitors from other cities and countries, as well as the conflict between ecology and economy: many industries that once provided income for the local residents have closed, while the tourism sector is in no hurry to develop.

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Irkutsk documentary photographer Anton Klimov works in the genre of social landscape. Lake Baikal, as a point of attraction for people from all over the world and one of the primary contexts for the locals, becomes a vast object of creative exploration for the photographer.