This is the first book by the emerging photographer-artist Lise Sarfati. Composed of images made during extended visits to Russia during the 1990s. It is neither travelogue nor photojournalistic essay. Rather, Sarfati uses descriptions of the details of the Russian environments which fascinate her to create a visual drama - a personal theatre of dysfunction and deterioration, of change and beauty. The title - literally "it (feminine) is over" from the Latin phrase "Acta Est Fabula" meaning "the play is over" - signals her insistence that the work not be read as journalism but as a work of theatrical imagination. She builds a disturbing Tarkovsky-esque world out of concrete historical fragments - for example the architecture and factories of Norilsk, a town in arctic Siberia built and occupied by political convicts - and peoples it with lost characters - young transvestites and teenage runaways interned in "re-education" camps. Why results is a body of beautiful, engaging and disturbing photographs which are both a historical record of Russia at the end of an era, and the poetry of a visual artist conjuring her own world.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Lise Sarfati's starkly lit photos of a disintergrating Russia are deceptively simple. Look a little longer and you'll see why her work ... has won every award going.' (Red)
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
From the Publisher
This is the first book by the emerging photographer-artist Lise Sarfati. Composed of images made during extended visits to Russia during the 1990s. It is neither travelogue nor photojournalistic essay. Rather, Sarfati uses descriptions of the details of the Russian environments which fascinate her to create a visual drama - a personal theatre of dysfunction and deterioration, of change and beauty. The title - literally "it (feminine) is over" from the Latin phrase "Acta Est Fabula" meaning "the play is over" - signals her insistence that the work not be read as journalism but as a work of theatrical imagination. She builds a disturbing Tarkovsky-esque world out of concrete historical fragments - for example the architecture and factories of Norilsk, a town in arctic Siberia built and occupied by political convicts - and peoples it with lost characters - young transvestites and teenage runaways interned in "re-education" camps. Why results is a body of beautiful, engaging and disturbing photographs which are both a historical record of Russia at the end of an era, and the poetry of a visual artist conjuring her own world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Visual tension from an unknown universe,
By Duncan Wong (EyesCoffee.com from Hong Kong) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Acta Est (Hardcover)
Russia images made by Lise Sarfati in the 90'. Dislocated and strange space and time that should belong to an unknown universe. The ruins like broken structures depicted 'as is' via certain perspective, is really attractive. Places like contention camp and work camp for offenders, psychiatric institute, bathroom, the eyes of prisoners & transsexuals etc further increase the mysterous tension in your visual interpretation.The cover photo is a masterpiece. Imagine, the room inside Moscow psychiatric institute is shown as a performace like theatre setting.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Detention Camp for Young Male Offenders,
By John Greek (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Acta Est (Hardcover)
A dark and intensely disturbing exhibition. Luminous photography, giving a fascinating representation of a vague, mysterious world. I finger through this book with fever: Sarfati gives the imagination powerful imagery, a feast of the unknown. To be enjoyed slowly and carefully. Highly recommended.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Requested by our Son,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Acta Est (Hardcover)
Book was requested by our Son, to be used in his work. Was sent as a present. Book was in good condition, and I am pleased with our purchase.
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