Diverse exhibition captures daily life in the Soviet Union

The monument ‘The Mother Calls’ on Mamayev Kurgan, commemorates the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, known in Russia as Great Patriotic War. It was taken in the city of Stalingrad (Volgograd) in 1970 by Edward Khakimov.

placeholder image — The monument ‘The Mother Calls’ on Mamayev Kurgan, commemorates the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, known in Russia as Great Patriotic War. It was taken in the city of Stalingrad (Volgograd) in 1970 by Edward Khakimov.

An exhibition of historic photographs capturing life in the Soviet Union in the 20th century will open in the City’s Ballybane Library this Saturday, April 8.

Pictures from the Soviet Union is the work of seven photographers from Kazma in the state of Tatarstan. The seven – Zufar Bashirov, Vladimir Zotov, Sultan Iskhakov, Valery Mikhailov, Yuri Philimonov, Eduard Khakimov and Rifkat Yakupov – were part of a creative collective known as Tasma.

Their work commemorates the centenary of the October 1917 revolution in Russia, which led to the formation of the entity called the Soviet Union, or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

The photos being shown in Ballybane explore the USSR’s achievements and the ordinary lives of Soviet people in the second half of the twentieth century. They also examine how the ideology of the world’s first Communist state affected citizens’ lives. Demonstrations, holidays, weddings, work, the beauty of the countryside, growing cities and space exploration – everyday life in USSR in included.

Despite the doctrine of state atheism in the Soviet Union, different nationalities preserved their own cultures and celebrated holidays that were born of ancient rituals and religious beliefs. They included Christmas when a man of straw was burnt, to represent winter; the wooden plough holiday ’Sabantuy’, complete with wrestling competitions; horse races and folk celebration.

The main organiser of this exhibition is photographer Eduard Khakimov who has family living here in Ireland. Through visiting his daughter Larissa and her family in Galway, he has come to love this country like a second home. Eduard, who was one of the Tasma creative team, is a member of the Union of Russian Artists and of the Journalists Union of the Republic of Tatarstan. He explains that the Tasma group wanted to share the experience of living in the Soviet Union with Irish people. The show will also appeal to the 1.500 Russian speakers who currently live in Galway.

Photos from the Soviet Union will be opened this Saturday at 3pm in Ballybane Library and will run until April 28. The library is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am-1pm and from 2pm-5pm. Admission is free and open to all.