Lev Borodulin

Retrospective exhibition

Until the end of summer, the Moscow House of Photography is representing the retrospective review of one of the most famous soviet photographers Lev Borodulin. This exhibition is a part of a program «Classics of Russian photography» and is dated for the 80th birthday of the author. Lev Borodulin gave 50 years of his life to photography, and it is possible to divide his entire career to two parts — time, when photographer lived and worked in Soviet Union, and a period when he moved to Israel. Both of those stages of his creative activity are represented at the exhibition of the Moscow House of Photography. Hard after-war years, reconstruction of the shocked country, her new life — all of this found a reflection in the photos of Borodulin. The author, who was subtly feeling and understanding his time, succeed in recreating the atmosphere of those years, which had passed a long time ago. All his photos were published in the «Ogonjek» magazine, which was the most popular magazine back to those days.

It seems, like in the photos of Lev Borodulin the life itself had frozen in all of her different and weird forms. There is no single one static photo, because it’s impossible to stop life even for a moment, it is always moving, changing. Evidently, one of the most important themes of Borodulin’s works was sport. Back to those days, all the country was proud of the achievements and victories of the soviet sportsmen. Nevertheless, it is impossible to say that there’s nothing besides sports on his photos. Borodulin was able to catch all the most delicate feelings, traits of the characters of sportsmen. He showed the side sport, which no one has seen before; he showed that sport gives the ability to feel the fullness and richness of the life. Lev Borodulin took photos not only of the soviet sport (and this chance in Soviet Union had only few people). On his photos, you can see a balloon festival in the Israel, Olympic games and such an exotic for the soviet people type of sport as windsurfing.

Borodulin was also interested in everyday life: construction of the new district Cheremushki on the place of not yet destroyed village; vivid pictures form the life of Buryatija and Kazakhstan; people playing in the casino; bright, unusual hippies.

The exhibition of Lev Borodulin is interesting for everyone. For those, who lived in 70’s — 80’s this exhibition will bring nostalgia, melancholy, that will squeeze your heart. For those, who did not catch this time, it gives a chance to see, even feel the life that will never repeat again.

Maria Burasovskaya