The project «Krasnaya Talka» is rooted in the artistic construction of a myth about a river. Through this myth, I re-examine the historical trauma of the 1905 revolution, the collapse of textile manufactories, and the genetic pain of this locality, which has become an integral part of my lineage.
The industrial landscape of the city of Ivanovo—the Krasnaya Talka River and its surrounding textile industry—serves as the historical foundation. In 1905, this area became the epicenter of a 72-day general strike. On June 3, 1905, a peaceful demonstration of workers on the banks of the Talka was fired upon. This tragic event transformed the river into the ultimate symbol of proletarian struggle: in the collective consciousness of the citizens, its waters were stained with the blood of the workers, and the Talka itself acquired its official ideological status of «Krasnaya» (Red). In the 1990s, this massive industrial era came to an end: the factories were privatized and closed, the eternal flame in the square went out, and shopping malls were built on the sites of the immense manufactories, leaving behind only a phantom trace of the vanished industrial world and a deep sense of nostalgia.
For me, this history is profoundly personal: I grew up on the banks of the Talka and swam in it every day during the summer. My childhood home on Shuvandina Street stands near the site of the execution. Four generations of women in my family were inextricably linked to this arduous textile labor, forming an entire factory dynasty. A surviving archival photograph from a Soviet newspaper article captures my great-great-grandmother, great-grandmother, and grandmother, serving as a symbol of this generational continuity. My mother continued this path, completing professional training in the art of spinning directly at the production base in 1988, after which she was assigned to the Krasnaya Talka factory.
I merge archival photographs with contemporary imagery of the locality, creating a myth at the intersection of reality and fiction. At its core lies the belief that water is capable of biologically and energetically preserving genetic memory. The central process of the healing ritual consists of nocturnal immersions into the river, wearing white nightgowns stitched with special threads from the Krasnaya Talka factory. This is an act of reunion with departed loved ones. Through this ritual, I metaphorically dissolve the historical pain.
Krasnaya Talka, a river of skies up above,
Will wash you and turn into lyrics of love.
The beat of your heart will be sheltered and blessed,
And hope in your life will at last resurrect.
Go out to the waterfall deep in the night,
The moon is your solace, the stars are your light.
The white-colored heaven will cover the sign,
For all is now real, and you're here by design.
The trees under starlight are whispering low:
«You'll find your salvation, just stay here below.»
The wind will embrace you, a blanket so wide:
«Forget all your sorrows, I'm here by your side».
And grace in the morning will rise like a prayer,
The holy white halos will glow in the air.
A light in this dark world will wash over you,
The shadows have vanished, the river ran through.