Jarqyn

My brother — Jarqyn is an inspector in the Korgalzhyn State Reserve, which is located 130 km farther from the capital. 

The reserve covers an area of 5430 square km. On the territory of the reserve there are seven cordons — it’s a name of the house of the security inspector. My brother Jarqyn works in one of these cordons called “Oil Exploration”.

“Oil Exploration” gets its name from Soviet era of search for oil on the territory of Korgalzhyn. Frankly, the need to preserve the nature took over ant the place became a State Reservation.

I went there, not really knowing what i would see or do. I thought maybe i’ll catch some flamingos or galloping saigaks in the steppe through my camera. However, in the week that i was there nothing happened. We did not chase poachers and did not save rare animals. We mostly sat inside the cordon and drank tea, talked about our childhood and argued about politics, cooked something to eat and saved electricity in the evenings. What i found in Korgalzhyn is reconneting with my brother whom i haven’t seen for seven years.

Kiev 60 (medium format film 6×6)