Boris Mikhailov

Boris Mikhailov documented the Soviet Union after the fall of communism. I like this image because because it displays the struggle that Russians went through and the poverty that followed the collapse of the Soviet government. The man being carried is wearing minimal clothing in the snow, while the others carrying him are wearing heavy winter clothing, which puts this man in a position which looks very unfortunate. The expression on the man's face lacks emotion which is interesting because it makes me wonder what circumstances occured to create such a scene in which a poorly clothed man would need to be to be carried in the winter snow, by other people in this unfortunate situation. I think the overall quality of the image, such as the lack of contrasting color and the graininess of the image, reinforces the feeling of misfortune and poverty. This image has two qualities that make it a very powerful image: it stands as a documentary image which describes the situation of people living in the Soviet Union at that time, and it also implies a biblical reference which gives the image deeper meaning and value. The image reminds me of Jesus Christ being escorted to be prosecuted and hung on a cross. I think this is mainly due to the expression on the man's face and his limp body being carried through the snow. The man looks weak but not quite helpless. He looks as if he is indifferent, or knows that emotion and reaction would not help his cause. The fact that this image reflects a historical story of prosecution adds to the effectiveness of capturing the struggles of Russia's homeless people after a revolutionary event in the history of the Soviet Union.