“The World Saved By Beauty” through the eyes of participants of the Presidential Library traditional photo contest “Foreign View 2015”

The Presidential Library summed up the results of the photo contest "Foreign View 2015.” The current photo contest, held under the motto "The World Saved By Beauty" brought together participants from more than 150 cities and towns of Russia, 30 countries. Over 4, 200 photos have been submitted, which is the record number since the project launch six years ago. The youngest participant of the contest, Elina Lichutina is 11 years old, and the most experienced, Oleg Davtyan, is 76.

Traditionally, the photo contest "Foreign View" attracts a large number of partners - there are over 30 by now. They are actively involved in the promotion of the photo contest, its popularization. For example, the "Foreign View 2014" resulted in organizing of five photo exhibitions, issue of a traditional photo album, pictures of participants become more well-known in the country and the world.

The works that reach the final and win the photo contest "Foreign View" join the electronic collection and become public property of the annals of recent history.

"I would like to emphasize that the photo contest is constantly developing, said in his welcoming speech Director General of the Presidential Library Alexander Vershinin. Photography and the photo contest for us represent both new interesting documents, improvement of information technology, and joining of efforts of young and experienced photographers."

According to Director General of the first national electronic library of Russia, owing to historical photographs of Bianchi, Prokudin-Gorsky, Bulla, photographic research projects are realized; photos are "animated" through the cooperation with "LenDok" Documentary Film Studio; the process of selecting and saving pictures on the Internet is automated with the assistance of the Chief Research Computing Center of the Department of Affairs of the President. Under the support of the St. Petersburg State Institute of Cinema and Television, Rosfoto and famous photographers, the library specialists are studying and using the possibilities of digital archiving of photographs. "Finally, the photo contest gave birth to a community of interested people. Therefore, from the technologies of the national vote we can proceed to the creation of a permanent network of press photographers," said Alexander Vershinin.

During the meeting it was stressed that most of the works were remarkable for their good technical level and accurate view of the reality, free from political bias. This was emphasized by Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky in his welcoming speech: “This year we deliberately moved away from the theme of politics. We thought it would be interesting if the pictures reflected the beauty of nature and relationships between people not affected by the boundaries and different views of politicians. Today more than ever it is important to be able to see the beauty in simple everyday things. Love for family and friends, for the homeland, the beauty of the world, the historical heritage, cultural and historical monuments, vivid nature, architecture - all this are the topics of 2015 photographs."

The organizers deliberately moved away from acute political issues. Instead, the focus was on the Year of Literature in Russia, the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, the peculiarities of national traditions, cultures, and even everyday life, which is interesting for everyone. Compatriots from abroad have sent a great number of photos of memorial sites and places related to the Great Patriotic War, portraits of veterans, celebrations dedicated to the anniversary date. These photos came from different parts of the world, but all the participants of the ceremony were particularly touched by a video record from the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Kiev, which was the venue for blockade survivors, who also welcomed the participants of the “Foreign View." They noted that the victory is one for all, and no one can rewrite history. Ukraine was represented by 17 participants in the competition.

Among the winners were people of different ages, from different countries and regions. The winners of the category "Austria and Russia: Striking Relations" were Igor Chirikov from Moscow and Catherine Ishimtseva from Tyumen. Alexander Novopashin, Director of Information Policy Department of the Tyumen region, said that the region was actively developing the art of photography, that a special study on this subject had been released, and offered to call one of the nominations of the next photo contest, "Siberia through the Eyes of Foreigners." The idea was actively supported. Not by chance, the information and educational center of Tyumen region that day brought together many photographers of the region, who expressed their willingness to participate in the development of the project, its content.

Yabi Ehtiram from Baku took part in the photo contest summing up via videoconference. He won in the category "Generation of Winners", dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory. The year of 2015 was marked by literature, so the appearance of the category "Heroes of my Novel" is quite natural. The winner there was Mark Levitin, Russia.

In the category "Moscow is a friendly city" the winner was a citizen of Belarus, Denis Dukhovnik. Director of the Moscow City Library Center Maria Rogacheva congratulated him from the Reserve Center of the Presidential Library.

In the nomination "The series of photos" had two winners - Javid Mammedov (Azerbaijan), who presented a series of images dedicated to the work of migrants, which was a truly journalistic work; and Sergey Chernyshov from Moscow, who showed in his photos Kenya in a way that would hardly be available to an ordinary tourist. In his pictures of the Black continent, beautiful women contrast with destitute children, city streets – with shacks of the poor. These are strong and interesting works.

Summing up the photo contest results showed its coverage: only via teleconference St. Petersburg had brought together Yerevan and Baku, Kiev and New York, Tyumen and Moscow, Vienna and Krasnoyarsk, and everyone noted that today is time for the development of people’s diplomacy, that the competition is an opportunity for many people to openly admit that they love Russia.

More than 450 photographs illustrating Russian culture, came from Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Estonia.

It is no accident that the project was highly appreciated by the deputy representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry in St. Petersburg Igor Demyanenko. He said: "My first idea of the foreign view was a foreigner looking at me from a visa or a passport, but this kind of view - a creative and open - was a revelation, so let the project develop further." Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of the Government of Leningrad Region Andrey Minin noted that it was important to develop the photo view of foreigners in the regions, drawing attention to the fact that the Leningrad Region borders with Finland and Estonia, and therefore, the photo project is important to it.

People's Artist of Russia, Director General of the State Museum Monument "St. Isaac's Cathedral" Nikolai Burov drew attention to the importance of an open photo dialogue between people, a fresh look at reality. In addition, according to the CEO of the Chief Computing Research Center of the Department of Affairs of the President Alexander Maksimov, one must not only capture what is happening, but also preserve it for history with the help of digital technologies. Therefore, according to him, the Research Center is planning to develop the system of data storage, improve technologies, including those at the Presidential Library.

The photo contest "Foreign View" is one of the Presidential Library creative projects aimed at the formation and preservation of the photographic heritage of Russia. It has become a landmark event for amateur photographers around the world. This opinion was expressed on behalf of the photo community by Pavel Markin, Honored Worker of Culture of Russia, Dean of the Photo Faculty, Journalists' Union of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region. Political analyst Yury Svetov drew attention to the need to spread the project over the network in order to attract more participants.

The Photo Contest Organizing Committee expresses its gratitude to the partners:

Vnesheconombank

Committee on Tourism Development of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg State University

State Museum Monument "St. Isaac's Cathedral" - Museum of Four Cathedrals

Karl Bulla Studio

Moscow City Library Center

“ISIC” Company

News Agencies TASS and Russia Today / RIA Novosti

"Bukvoyed" Bookstores Chain

"Bright Photo Market" Photo Salons Chain

"Grand Model Russia" National Show Museum National Show Museum

FotoVideo KUB Company and "SHKIF" School of Cinema and Photography

“Russian Photo” Magazine

"Oreanda" News Agency

"Petrovskaya Water Area" Historic Theater Model

Art Center in Perinny Row of Stalls

"Decembrist"

SPC "Dalnyaya Polyana"

"Petersburg Photographer" Web Edition

Tourist Enterprise Workers Association

"LenDok" Open Film Studio

Russian Union of Tourist Industry

"Fotokasa" Magazine

"Photosphere" Journal of Contemporary Photography

Information Policy Department of the Tyumen Region

Spanish Center of Culture, Education and Business in St. Petersburg

Goethe Institute in St. Petersburg