"Polite People in a Polite Society" - This conceptual photo project revolves around the idea of interaction between "polite people," or so-called "green men," with a "polite society," thus transferring traces of one's activities into the space of others. The project questions the idea of empires' capacity for self-analysis and the reevaluation of their own historical mistakes, addressing the effectiveness of such self-reflection.
The project unfolds through the visual reproduction of inscriptions taken from the walls of occupied Ukrainian homes, propagandistic billboards, nationalist merchandising, and Russian tattoos, showing how this collective imperial ideology penetrates Russian society. These inscriptions become not just an artistic tool of the invaders but also a social act, demonstrating the occupiers' individual worldviews, fears, needs, and values, thereby interacting with the viewer deeply emotionally.
The project explores how these inscriptions can compose a portrait of the typical Russian occupier, reflecting aggression, fear, insecurity, and deeply ingrained propagandistic narratives. This series highlights the clash of two opposing worldviews: on one side, human values, culture, and dignity, and the other, fear, insecurity, and disregard for the lives of others.
"Polite People in a Polite Society" not only reflects the cultural and ideological chasm but also provides a unique insight into the mentality that breeds cruelty and aggression, leaving room for contemplation and personal conclusions by the viewer.
"For power, for truth, for money."
Context of the inscriptions:
The sculptures from the Parthenon, also known as the Elgin Marbles, are among the most important creations of ancient Greek art and architecture. They were created in the 5th century BCE under the direction of the sculptor Phidias and his pupils to adorn the Parthenon - a temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patroness of Athens.
The Parthenon sculptures are a key element of heritage not only for Greece but for all Western civilization. They play an essential role in understanding the development of European art and architecture.
Disputes over ownership of the sculptures highlight important issues about cultural heritage, nations' rights to their own art, and museums' obligations to history and culture.
All this makes the sculptures from the Parthenon an essential object of international cultural relations and a symbol of historical justice.
Description of the "Graffiti" on the wall:
“За силу, За правду”—the inscription taken from a propagandistic billboard glorifying a system in which the rights of the stronger come to the forefront, thus reverting us to the world of animals. “Rashism” is built on the cult of strength, which is why these words bind the whole nation, whose development vector is the desire to have strength for domination. These same inscriptions and narratives later move on to ruined and occupied houses in Ukraine.
Z, V - serve not only as a way of marking territory but also as a message: all this around, the sorrow that happens, we made it.
Russia's Ministry of Defense also gave its explanation. It wrote on its Instagram page that Z means "Za pobedu" (for victory) and V means "Sila V Pravde" (Power is in Truth).
Fun fact: the phrase "сила в правде", which translates to "power is in truth," has become a widespread catchphrase in Russia since the early 21st century. Its popularity surged due to its use in the film "Brother 2" (2000), where the main character, who comes to America and asserts his dominance, utters this phrase, which has since become associated with a specific national sentiment.
АУЕ - a criminal movement widespread in the RF, one of the characteristics of which was dominance through enforced homosexual contact. Since the RF was actively recruiting soldiers from among prisoners, these inscriptions can be found in the occupied territories.
“Москва - Лондон 2800 км” - Similarly, the occupiers marked the distance from Moscow to Berlin.
“слава воинам рф” - the glorification of the Russian military
"Za Азмат” - an inscription glorifying fighters from Chechnya
“Бурятия это расея” - Buryatia is Russia, an inscription left by the military from Buryatia in Russian with orthographic errors.
“слава путину” - glorification of the commander-in-chief
The second aspect to consider is the sexualised nature of some of the inscriptions.
"Muscovite Liberal."
Mixed media: photography, pigment print, photomontage
This work explores the raw duality and inherent contradiction within the identity of the so-called Russian liberal — a figure who borrows the surface aesthetics of Western values, yet remains rooted in imperial chauvinism and latent nationalism.
Framed like a museum artifact, the subject stands exposed, marked by prison-style tattoos — some echoing anti-war slogans, others betraying a grotesque synthesis of Western liberalism and Russian supremacism. The tension between these layers is not accidental; it is the essence of the Muscovite liberal — an ideological chimera that mimics the West only to carry out its own colonial phantasm.
On his back, we see the Russian word “свобода” (“freedom”) awkwardly paired with a rainbow, referencing both prison tattoos and LGBTQ+ symbolism — not out of genuine solidarity, but as a crude aesthetic echo of Western civil rights language.
The phrase “НЕТ ВОЙНЕ” (“No to war”) appears beneath — a historically safe anti-war slogan in Russia, spoken by liberals who oppose violence but rarely challenge its system directly.
The “Join or Die” tattoo — a well-known emblem of American liberalism — appears on the arm as a direct reference to the visual symbol used by Yegor Zhukov, a young figurehead of the Russian opposition in early 2019. At just 20 years old, Zhukov became a prominent voice closely associated with Navalny's movement. In his early YouTube videos, the “Join or Die” flag appeared as a backdrop — an imported symbol of liberal resistance. However, despite the aesthetic of freedom, his rhetoric revealed something far more contradictory: while Crimea should not belong to Russia — it should not be “given back” either.
Other tattoos include “ЛЁХА” (a reference to Alexei Navalny).
The tattoo “УВЫ КРЫМ НАШ” (“Alas, Crimea is Ours”) is a direct nod to the obscure and ironic emo-patriotic movement Родина (Rodina), as captured in the LiveJournal essay by Stropov. This short-lived and melancholic protest collective emerged in response to the annexation of Crimea — not as resistance in the classical sense, but as a depressive, almost theatrical lament. Their rallies were more performative than political, cloaked in irony and aestheticised sadness, a kind of emo-despair that stood in contrast to both jingoistic patriotism and liberal protest. The phrase “УВЫ КРЫМ НАШ” carries that same bitter paradox — it's not pride, it's regret veiled as irony.
"Crimea is not a sandwich to be passed back and forth" was famously stated by Alexei Navalny in an October 2014 interview with Echo of Moscow. This remark sparked significant controversy, as many interpreted it as an implicit acceptance of Russia's annexation of Crimea. It highlights the paradox of Russian liberalism, where opposition figures may still harbor nationalist or imperialist views. The tattoo of a sausage sandwich serves as a satirical reference to Navalny's statement, symbolizing contradictions within certain segments of the Russian opposition.
A dumbbell tattooed on the buttocks alludes to prison torture, while the words “Люди-звери” (“Men-beasts”) echo real inmate tattoos, portraying dehumanization and internalized violence.
The two-headed eagle and the word “СЛАВЯНИН” (“Slav”) — a reminder that beneath liberal affectations, chauvinism often remains untouched.
