Exhibition "Documentary-shaped photography-2016/2017" Eugene Coma

September 11 in the gallery of contemporary art "theHARASHO" (ICTI "Golden Key") will open the exhibition of the photographer Eugene Coma "Documentary-shaped photography-2016/2017".

This photo exhibition is a team of the best photographs of the author for the previous two years. The name "DOF" stands for simple - documentary-shaped photograph.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the general project of the photographer “Beach”, which is traditionally replete with beach characters recorded in different, sometimes comical, situations on most beaches of Crimea. Every summer, Eugene travels with a backpack behind him, starting from Feodosia, then Koktebel, Fox Bay, Coastal, Meganom, Sudak, New World, Gurzuf, Yalta, Lyubimovka and, of course, the author pays the closest attention to his hometown of Yevpatoria.

According to Eugene Coma, the beach theme is very sensitive in ethical terms, but rich in conveying sincere human emotions and characters, because nowhere, like in a situation of careless relaxation, having dropped the last mask in the form of clothes, a person doesn’t open like that, then least by ourselves. In addition to the delicacy of the subject, the ability to make a good shot is complicated by the aesthetics of the moment. What it is? For the author, any interesting event should be compositionally and light-based deliciously decorated, attract the viewer’s eye, causing aesthetic emotions, and only after that intellectual immersion in the event.

Eugene lived most of his life on the Black Sea, watching from season to season watching this whole resort whirlwind. Over time, he noticed that nothing has changed in the behavior of vacationers, except for bathing accessories and an alcoholic assortment. Perhaps a good knowledge of the beach was the reason for the topic, which was not so photogenic for many colleagues. Plus, from childhood, a passion for drawing cartoons and humorous stories.

At the beginning of his creative career, the beach aroused indignation in the photographer, laughter through tears, but over time the worldview changed, and today the author looks at vacationers lounging from vacation freedom, like at a fun carnival, somewhere in the soul even thanks to the immediacy in the decisive moments. The author’s attitude towards society has not changed, only it has become not instructive, condemning, but more detached. Without harsh satire and ridicule, but a little ironic, which he considers the most sensible attitude to himself and others.

In addition to beach shots, the exhibition will feature a series of abstract sketches, another of my favorite topics born during walks in the old city, which is so rich in the texture of flaky walls, eclectic architecture and the play of light and shadow. Eugene Kom believes that the Old City is the characteristic historical face of Evpatoria, distinguishing it from other cities, therefore, in a hurry to fix its most expressive fragments every year. Perhaps in the near future there will be enough material for an exhibition about this excursion route.

It is significant that the exhibition is diversified by a new direction that is not characteristic of the author - these are photo collages, which are fervent documentaries denied in their own work. But as they say, never say never. So, with irony to himself, the photographer himself comments on the new hobby.

- There were many ideas that I wanted to express in the language of the grotesque, exaggeration, and fantastic associations. In addition, a lot of unused, but somehow attractive elements of the image have accumulated, which I spontaneously sent to a folder called "blanks", as if anticipating their future role. - says Eugene Kom.

The exhibition runs until September 20.