FEAR AND FREEDOM


"My name is Maria Kazikhanov. I'm a Russian photographer/filmmaker living in NYC. In support of political prisoners in Russia (ans also in Belarus) my team and I made an Art Project - Fear and Freedom.

With this project we want to bring attention to what is happening in Russia right now - that thousands of people are being arrested, poisoned, jailed and tortured just for having a different political opinion or different look, for posting and reposting in social media, for being on the street at a wrong time and even for being silent.

This project is very personal to me beacause my husband was severely beaten for being on the street at the wrong time and tortured by Russian police for wrong nationality... I wish I could come out to the peaceful protest in Russia, but as soon as we come back we will be arrested for having a different political opinion, for believing in freedom. So the best I can do is this project to let the world know that thousands of people are suffering in Russian prisons, right now..."

Photography: Maria Kazikhanov (@photoshurup)

Styling: Elena Nigmatullina (@_nevaneva_), Olexandra Kozel-Potatuieva (@alexiskossel)

Make Up: Veronica Volkova (@yourmakeuppoet)

Producing: Nikolay Popov (@kolyan2202)

Models: Tatiana Danilova (@tatiana_dani_lova), Victoria Zhambaltarova (@victoria.yur), Alexandra Bryukhovskikh (@alexagoldman192), Mila De (@milade___), Veronica Volkova (@_loveronica__), Zlata Grek (@zlatochkag), Nikolay Popov (@kolyan2202), Darina G