BigCASE by Viola Andrushchuk

There is a so-called “anti-extremist legislation” in Russia, which includes a number of laws and regulations. Blurred wording of articles allow authorities to use it to suppresses the freedom of speech and to pressure on the mass media and critically-minded citizens.

It creates a situation when the state acts as a censor not only in the literal sense, but also in the figurative – when the laws and judicial practice essentially prohibit certain themes and images (“disrespecting the days of military glory”, disagreement with official state policy, criticism of anti-Ukrainian propaganda, military campaigns or religion, etc.).

«big CASE» is a documentary (Post-Documentary) photo-project based on real administrative and criminal cases under “anti-extremist” articles with wrongful court decisions. The project uses the method of reenactment by description or image – the basis of the photo is the real case, based on which the staged picture is recreated.

While telling about these real cases, it is difficult not to break one of the repressive extremist articles, one had have to resort to self-censorship so that the project has the opportunity to appear before a wide audience.

The project conducted in partnership with Russian NGOs “The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis” and “Mass Media Defence Centre”. The SOVA Center has been researching application and misuse of anti-extremism legislation in Russia. The concept and usage of the term “anti-extremist legislation”, as well as the assessment of the wrongfulness of trial decisions, are taken from the reports of The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis.

Soviet and German toy soldiers times of World War II. In early April of 2015, against the Central Children’s Store on Lubyanka was opened a case under Part 1 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code (incitement of hatred and humiliation of dignity of the Great Patriotic War veterans) for selling busts and figurines of soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht. On the same day, interrogations and searches were conducted in homes and offices of the company staff. As it turned out, the figurines and busts, which became the basis for the criminal case, were collectibles and not intended as children’s toys. From the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis point of view, the criminal case under Article 282 was initiated inappropriately, since sale of models has no qualifying attributes of a crime covered by this article.

About Viola Andrushchuk

Viola Andrushchuk was born in 1988, in Navoi city (Uzbekistan). In 1994 the family moved to Voronezh city, Russia. Here she graduated a Secondary School, the Voronezh Institute of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russian Federation with a specialty “radiotrician” and for 3 years studied at the Faculty of History of Voronezh State University. In 2014 moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia, where studied for 2 years at “DokDokDok” Photojournalism and Documentary Photography School and completed courses “Documentary photography and photojournalism” and “Post-documentary photography and other media”. Have been published in Russian and foreign publications, hold a personal exhibition in St. Petersburg (Russia) and participated in group exhibitions in Brighton (UK), Berlin (Germany), Minsk and Brest (Belarus).

I wouldn’t call myself a photographer in the literal sense, rather a visual artist. I think that some stories are easier to tell about in the visual language of photography and it will be more understandable for viewers that way. I’m interested in different topics such as ecology, human rights, anti-war agenda, feminism, gender and corporality. Currently working on few photo projects. [Official Website]