I Am Not I by Boris Mikhailov

A collection of works by Ukrainian photographer Boris Mikhailov.

This book features 33 photographs from Boris Mikhailov's self-portrait series, taken in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Mikhailov says that the series was born in the political context of the post-Soviet state, and in front of the camera he plays an anti-hero who contrasts with the hyper-masculine stereotypes that were once associated with the establishment. Having always explored the boundaries of photography and its connections with other disciplines, the artist here combines it with the atmosphere and grammar of theater. The audience participates in a performance reminiscent of the tradition of absurdist theater, in which the protagonist is alone, naked, and plays with sex toys in all sorts of ways. At first glance, his irrational actions may seem like a celebration and relief at the end of a tough time, but with repeated repetition they soon become an allegory of fear for an uncertain future.

Limited to 500 copies.

-

Title: I Am Not I
Artist: Boris Mikhailov
Morel, 2016
Hardcover, case binding
240 x 330 mm
64 pages
Text in English
First edition
ISBN: 9781907071454
¥9,900 -