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Kirgisin in Wien

By on December 14th, 2007

Galina Toktalieva

Following rules, I say honestly that this photo shoot Graz photographer Reinhard Sock and then it was processed by Vienna photographer Werner Braun

500 Days of Street Photographer

And phrase “Kirgisin in Wien” was invented by chef editor of newspaper “Augustin” Robert Sommer, who considered it to be the most interesting concerning my personality in whole, he offered me to make photo essay about horses in Vienna and write about horses masters. Robert was always full of new projects and ideas, which he could easily forget. He was the first newspaper editor with whom I talked in Vienna. As I remember, he was instantly taken aback by my offer to cooperate, but then corrected himself and was quite nice. We talked about possibility of new mutual projects. But that first moment of his intinctive negative reaction was somewhat significant for development of our business relationship

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Vienna, Vienna!

By on December 3rd, 2007

Leute.jpg

Whenever pink morning light transits to yellow of midday, and wind blowing from Schmelz stops bringing meditative tunes of kukus bird, I start my everyday journey. Mirror in my small flat is the gateway. I step behind it and as invisible clot of energy roll outside. Together with gust of wind I move along streets of Vienna and touch cheeks of passers-by with cool breathing of fog. I witness street life, its secrets and its drama.
Sometimes I occur to be that small beggar girl sitting at the corner of main street. She has cheap plastic doll in her pocket she wants very much to play with. For a while, I was also that woman in furs gazing at jewelry in window of fashionable shop. She seemed seized with anticipation to purchase precious thing.
I could be that invalid who crawled on his knees along Mariahilfer strasse and roared -Bitter!- with low hoarse voice. He had only one thought that after reaching the corner of Neubaugasse, he would make a break. Continue reading Vienna, Vienna! →

Soviet Empire Comments turned off

Sale

By on November 25th, 2007

Drunk.jpg

Noticeable, that if you start doing anything seriously, soon you will realize that problems of any contemporary occupation arise mostly at promotion level. If you cannot market yourself, you can do nothing. In such arts, as cinematography and photography, the more gifted you are the less chances you have to maneuver smoothly through troublesome process of advertising. Artistic talent is often about creative originality and helplessness in practical things. Contemporary society is one absurd limitless marketplace. Wherever you go, you turn to be potential buyer with whom they talk in terms of sale. Internet is paranoia store of advertising spam and initiated purchases, not mentioning already radio and TV. You cannot reach the end of your own street without being asked for money. Beggars trade you their humiliation; prostitutes trade their body orifices for temporary use. Post box exists exclusively to devour tremendous quantity of commercials and bills. You are not human; you are consumer of water, shelter, cloth, food, entertainment and even your accidental death – all is article of trade and must be paid for. In this world of sales, the first thing you know about yourself is that you are nonentity in buy-and sell hierarchy. Continue reading Sale →

Abuse, Russia, Soviet Empire, Women Comments turned off

Schwarz und rot

By on November 20th, 2007

Domina.jpg Terrible bang at the door came after midnight. Since it was bars area, I reached for rolling pin and
then shut open the door. Russian woman Natasha stood there together with her husband – short man with disproportional big hands. Natasha looked as child who broke vase playing football in living room and tried to postpone inexorable penalty of angered parent.
- Galya, confirm that I was with you last night, – retorted she miserably.
Looking at her companion whose hands were clenching like claws of big cancer anticipating piercing through soft flesh, I hurriedly confirmed falsehood.
I knew Natasha for a few years. Now and then, she visited me in my attic to narrate about her life of struggle with controlling and jealous husband.
Couple came to Austria from Moscow region 15 years ago. Continue reading Schwarz und rot →

Austria, Graz, Sexuality 1 comment

Thorns

By on November 15th, 2007

Thorns.jpg

Likewise others, I attained normal Soviet school, where among other exotic subjects we studied scientific atheism. In classroom with portrait of Mongolian looking Leader and quotation:  Religion is opium for folks- teacher talked about Darwinism and astrophysics mocking over tales of holy world creation. We were busy with history of Christianity, and there was Muslim country outside – with neither veil, nor pray. For us Islam expressed itself only in pork sausages veto and mini skirts decline when elderly relatives paid visit. Already living in Austria, I realized that many non-religious inspiration authors had Christianity based world outlook. Nevertheless, even in most disastrous moments of life when visiting church, I could never cross myself. Childhood images of horned devils with long-handled spoons cooking sinners in big container circulated in my mind. Continue reading Thorns →

Transformation Comments turned off

Cold Vienna

By on November 14th, 2007

Drink.jpg

Unbelievable, but it was so cold in Vienna, I never expected it may be so. I felt lonely and isolated, I knew almost nobody in the city, and was not sure, what every new day would bring me. Sometimes I wonder, what is the engine that always moves me forward? And what love is? Why I so often feel unloved? Isn’t it that I feel unloved by my higher Self? When we fail to build up satisfying relationships with others, we fail to do it first of all with ourselves. And why I was fixed so much at things that increased my loneliness, for example, at photography, which always demanded many hours of secluded processing work. That is it.