Catalogue > At random

Nizhny Tagil Youth project explores the life of young people in one of the industrial centres, Nizhny Tagil, Russia, located on the virtual border between Europe and Asia. Their aspirations are limited by the paths already determined for them. This industrial city sits amidst the Ural mountains, the natural frontier between Europe and Asia. Of the 362,000 inhabitants, about 70,000 work for UralVagonZavod and 25,000 work for Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Plant, part of the Evraz Group, the two main factories located in the town. At around 16 years old, teenagers must make a choice about their employment. The majority ends up working long hours in one of the two plants, some join the small businesses that support these plants and their workers, and the rest remain unemployed. For the young people of the city, growing up within this damaged social landscape, there is a palpable sense of disillusionment. Those who work in the factories are subjected to a monotonous routine. The two hours a day commute added to eight hours on the job leaves them with little time to themselves. And lack of money often prevents them from going out, some feel that they have nothing to do.

Maria Morina is an emerging Russian documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Kiev, Ukraine. Maria Morina was born in Novosibirsk, Russia, in 1982. She graduated from St. Petersburg State University, International Relations, and attended Galperin photojournalism faculty in St. Petersburg and several workshops by Yury Kozyrev/ NOOR, and Bjarke Myrthu/ StoryPlanet organized by Objective Reality Foundation. Ms. Morina has participated in several group exhibitions and installations in Russia, UK, and US. She also worked as a field producer for documentary film Birth Of Nation by Daya Cahen, 2010. Since 2009 Ms. Morina has been working on joint project by three female photographers Grozny: Nine Cities, exploring specific aspects of the aftermath of two Chechen wars, which has been nominated for several international reward. In 2010 Ms. Morina started to work on a personal long term project on Nizhny Tagil youngsters lifestyle. The result of the project will be a series of short documentary films.