Escapist
Escapist is a story shot by Baurjan Bismildin, a fashion photographer from Kazakhstan. In this shoot, he features Violetta Bogdanova to explore together the topic of escapism. The year of the pandemic brought us to pose questions, to test new grounds, and to rebuild the creative processes. Baurjan, thinking of his year, shares that “2020 was a transition from one reality into another, from one type of captivity into a more realized one. Everyone had the chance to reflect on it in their own way.” The character in the shoot is left to examine her thoughts and emotions. It might seem that for a moment the character is left alone for her own discoveries, however, in the next frame, the connection with the photographer becomes a visible element. This layer adds to the idea of escapism as stretching the boundaries or limits of personal versus shared space and emotional background.
We speak with Baurjan and Violetta about the dynamics in the shoot, Violetta’s stay in Almaty, and working in challenging lighting conditions shooting on film. We speak about involving models in building the story and the openness to the ideas brought up on set as an important element. While Baurjan touches on the intrinsic connection between the emotional state of the team on set, Violetta explains how she views the process, “Photography is also a kind of escapism for both a model and a photographer.”
‘Photographs help me not only to reproduce the chronology of a specific day (including conditions and technical aspects) but also to recollect my subjective perspective in relation to a specific point of time.’
— Baurjan Bismildin
Hi Baur, how would you describe your approach or style of photography?
Baurjan: I’m collecting my own emotional states experienced through shootings. Photographs help me not only to reproduce the chronology of a specific day (including conditions and technical aspects) but also to recollect my subjective perspective in relation to a specific point of time. Part of the reason why I find this important is that I consider screenwriting and film-making as the next possible directions to further develop myself. Also, it helps me to remember all the small details that really make a difference.
When the model is looking lonely and somewhat detached in the shot, it is most likely a state of my mind at that specific moment as well – this also affects how I approach composition and lighting choices. When going through footage, sometimes I think I would change some details here and there, but I, myself at the shooting, the one who actually held the camera in his hands, could not do anything differently. And I do not mean technical aspects – it is more about the conversation with the model, the characteristics of the site or studio, temperature, background noises, smells – everything is reflected in the shot. Very often, I combine my printed shots with a text, some naïve (sometimes even silly) pictures, or a touch of paint – and that’s how I arrive at a final creation, balancing between something technical and spontaneous.
‘What is reality? The construction we live in, a system of weird values, set of symbols we consume, manipulations, brainwashing, opinions, boxes? Is that 'reality' something escapists try to escape from?’
— Violetta Bogdanova
Escapist, the name of the editorial, signifies some kind of a retreat, perhaps from reality, the day-to-day, so relevant in the times of the pandemic. What does it stand for, in this case?
Violetta: The whole year was a kind of retreat from reality. This retreat was unwanted and unexpected for most people, and that’s why it was also hard. Questions we always try to avoid - appeared. What am I doing? What and who is around me? What is stable and what is not? What is important and what is just noise? If you don’t have the answers, it can be hard to stay sane. But if you do - congrats! You’re a step closer to peace and your own path.
'Escapist' often has a negative meaning. It’s someone who can’t handle reality and tries to lose themselves in activities, books, or metaphysical stuff. But here’s the question: what is reality? The construction we live in, a system of weird values, set of symbols we consume, manipulations, brainwashing, opinions, boxes? Is that 'reality' something escapists try to escape from?
State of escaping is creating, talking to nature, listening to some cosmic sounds, or whatever makes me feel more real than when my brain is full of those daily issues I'm supposed to consider important.
Baurjan: 2020 was a transition from one reality into another, from one type of captivity into a more realized one. Everyone had the chance to reflect on it in their own way – I think this was the first time a lot of people embraced weakness, allowing themselves to feel a bit self-pity. We have witnessed the emergence of new habits, new ways of communication, and new social norms. No doubt, it hugely affected the world of art overall and the creative thinking on everybody’s side in particular. Many new restrictions, mood-fatigue from the pandemic, but also new media instruments and opportunities gave a fresh breath to escapism – you want to break free, especially now given you are not allowed to. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to retreat from the pandemic to outside of the city, to nature (with friends or relatives); hence I started to seek such a retreat in photography and collages more and more.
‘I cannot say that I admire a human or a person as a being in general but, I admire physiology, the body language, complexion of different character traits, and how all of this is combined in one picture.’
— Baurjan Bismildin
It is prominent that you take a special interest in portraiture, focusing on the facial expressions from a romantic perspective (feelings and the emotional background). What was the main goal, how did you plan to show the character in your shoot?
Baurjan: Photography is generally viewed as a reflection of reality, a recollection of external characteristics of a particular object; however, this does not hold ground when we take a person as an object. Portraiture is always a very subjective expression, expression of personality, sympathy, disaffection, etc. I cannot say that I admire a human or a person as a being in general but, I admire physiology, the body language, complexion of different character traits, and how all of this is combined in one picture. For instance, in the case of Violetta, I find her appearance very magnetic and cold at the same time. She is extremely good in her ability to feel the shot, to feel the environment she is surrounded by. We were shooting in an almost empty apartment, where she stayed during her trip to Almaty. It was an ideal shooting: we used her wardrobe only, no make-up, the light from the window was pretty dim due to cloudy weather - it took us around an hour to finish everything up. I cannot say there was any specific target or theme, rather we just wanted to (have fun and) experiment.
‘We both should change our way of BEING and SEEING for the moment to get a good shot, to get That One reflection of reality. It’s important to be able to question reality for any artist. Maybe that’s why all forms of art are considered escapism.’
— Violetta Bogdanova
What happens before you take the camera to your hands? How do you create a connection with the model to make sure you will get the result you aim for.
Baurjan: As I work only with film, it is always a very moderately-paced, almost meditative process for me. Generally, I use two formats: 120 and 135 mm. Violeta and I knew each other in absentia and sometimes chatted on social networks, shared some references. When it comes to actual shooting, you rarely know what to expect in terms of process and result. With big projects, the outcome is much more predictable as a lot of work is being put into the pre-production stage. Smaller ones allow you some room for an experiment: to change some details, to have an option to reject initially planned aspects. I also try to always listen to my models. It is interesting and somewhat inspiring to discuss the concept and develop possible alterations with them - the more involved they are in the process, the more likely everybody is satisfied with the end result.
Which moment from this project is most precious to you?
Violetta: The whole process was peaceful and beautiful. Photography is also a kind of escapism for both a model and a photographer. You’re in real physical space, you’re a real physical person with another real physical person, but you both are kind of in another dimension.
When a photographer is taking pictures of me, I should put myself in a special state when I don’t see the space around, but I imagine myself in relation to this space. I should turn on the inner mirror. I should remember who I am and show who I am (or a character, depending on the type of shooting). I should understand what the camera sees (not my eyes). Same for the photographer. We both should change our way of BEING and SEEING for the moment to get a good shot, to get That One reflection of reality. It’s important to be able to question reality for any artist. Maybe that’s why all forms of art are considered escapism.
Baurjan: Definitely lack of natural light. As I described the conditions of the shooting before, the light was very dull, and the exposure was on the edge. Because of this, we had to literally reach for the light source, which by itself set the shooting into a very specific mood. Yet again, should I repeat the experience, I probably would have slightly changed a few details (in terms of composition), but overall I’m entirely happy with the result.
