Keen Heick-Abildhauge: It’s about people, just like you and me, living in a country called Russia
* Keen (38) ★ documentary photographer living in Denmark -> almost 10 years ago got an idea to make 100 Russian portraits of people aged 1-100 years ✗ his goal was to make Russians smile and break down the stigma about Russians -> it took almost three years from start to finish -> Keen loves photography and does not go a single day without taking a picture
instagram.com/Keen Heick-Abildhauge
We all have a certain image about Russia in our heads either influenced by history, media, etc. How did you come up with the idea of taking 100 pictures of Russians aged 1-100 and creating “The Russian Portrait”?
It all started when my wife got a job in Moscow. I packed my camera and moved there with her. Then she looked at me and asked me: “What will you do here?” I told her I will make Russians smile, be displayed on Red Square and meet Vladimir Putin. She thought I was crazy. After a few weeks living in Russia, I started to be confronted by my friends with every possible stigma about Russia - they just drink vodka, it’s grey and it always rains. It was also around the time I started to discover a different Russia and I wanted to share this experience. So I came up with the idea of the Russian Portrait and to make it more personal and not only about photography I added a question about their dreams and passions.
Was it difficult to find people to photograph and how did you search for them?
It started very slowly with handing cards to people in the street. I was lucky I had the help from three university students because this project was a lot about searching. I was even told that it is impossible to find anybody who is over 80 years old. Of course, it was easier to find people in their 20s or 30s. What I did was to create a big wall board where I placed already taken pictures to see the rhythm. I wanted men and women to be equally presented. I knew it was difficult to find older men, because they simply don’t live as long as women. So I wanted to have more of them around the age of 50.
“I started to discover different Russia and I wanted to share this experience. So I came up with the idea of Russian Portrait.”
Do you remember all of the people you took a picture of? Is there someone who particularly comes to your mind even today?
If I see the picture, I will remember. I remember all of them, their smells and stories. For me personally, the people that stand out the most are usually the older people. They have so much to tell just by their face.
I will never forget meeting Anna (92) she was living in an elderly home and laying for most of the day, when we came, the nurse sat her up. I always look in the people's eyes if they don’t have kind eyes, I prefer not to take pictures, luckily most people have good eyes. She had very kind, but tired eyes. I took her picture in like three minutes. Then she took my hand and we talked and talked. She did not have anyone to visit her for five years.
I will also always remember Petr (97), who gave me the only handshake I will never forget. He squeezed my hand so hard that I said ouchie to myself!
“I will never forget meeting Anna. She had very kind but tired eyes. I always look in the people’s eyes if they don’t have kind eyes I prefer not to take pictures.”
Anna (92), passion/dream: I would love to have a family and relatives and to be in good health
Petr (97), passion/dream: I dream of living for more than 100 years
How did it feel once you took the last picture and completed your 100-piece puzzle?
I cried for one hour. I still remember the last picture. Her name was Roza, 98 years old and it took us four weeks to find her. Once the project was done, it was not fun anymore. It’s the journey that I enjoy. I love shooting, talking and sharing people’s stories. After that comes the boring stuff — arranging the exhibition, printing, translating, etc.
But remember at the beginning, I wanted to make Russians smile — and I did. In 2012, my project was as part of “Circle of Light Festival” displayed on Red Square. So check there as well. And Putin, well I saw him from a distance, so I think that has to count!
Do you think that you succeeded in showing the people of Russia in a different light?
First of all, this is not a project about Russia, politics or the economy. This is about people living in the country called Russia. We can talk about politics and agree or disagree. But these are real people, just like you and me, who love, have families and traditions.
Many people from all over the world wrote me that I’d changed their view on Russia. This is exactly, why I was doing it. If this exhibition could travel the world that would be great. Pictures get better with time and need to be seen now maybe more than ever.
Valentin (13), passion/dream: I like collecting models and want to become a lifeguard
Anastasia (26), passion/dream: I would like to live in all the countries of the world and to understand different cultures
Luschik (42), passion/dream: I would like to have a salary increase
Nina (79), passion/dream: I want to bring up my great-grandson and to do housework
“This is not a project about Russia, politics or the economy. It’s about real people, just like you and me, living in the country called Russia… who love, have families and traditions.”
Is there something that particularly touched you or surprised you while living in Russia?
I found out that Russians are very open minded. Here in Denmark my home is my private space in the sense that I just don’t invite people to my home. In Russia, people on the street were like: “Wow, you are from Denmark?”, “And, you want to take a picture of me?, “Let’s go to my place and celebrate?” Just like that. One day, I was invited by an elderly couple who did not have much, but they went and bought the expensive vodka and made me food. I felt bad that they spent so much money on me. Their generosity and openness was magical and very special. Now, I try everyday to be more open minded and invite people into my life.
Speaking of how we live day-to-day, do you think we take too many pictures these days?
It’s good to have lots of pictures, but people could be better at shooting them. Instead of ten takes, take one good one. Actually, wait…I will take one right now.
When I was taking the picture of Evdokiya who was 100 years old at the time, I took like 400 pictures which I usually never do, but I was so worried that I didn’t have a good one. After the photoshoot, she showed us her family album. She said that her family did not have much money so there were years when they could only take one picture. Imagine that?
Evdokiya (100), passion/dream: I dream of walking by myself, being independent and alive
What is good photography?
It’s a picture that you have to see more than once. As long as you can go on a small adventure with the picture and see something else, something that you have not seen before.
“Good photography is a picture that you have to see more than once.”
What does success mean to you?
That you wake up in the morning and you are looking forward to the day ahead. Because if you wake up in the morning and you don’t want to do take on the day then you’ve already failed.