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Other Russias
From a renowned graphic artist and activist, an incredible portrait of life in Russia today
'Victoria Lomasko's gritty, street-level view of the great Russian people masterfully intertwines quiet desperation with open defiance. Her drawings have an on-the-spot immediacy that I envy. She is one of the brave ones' - Joe Sacco, author of Palestine
What does it mean to live in Russia today? What is it like to grow up in a forgotten city, to be a migrant worker or to grow old and seek solace in the Orthodox church?
For the past eight years, graphic artist and activist Victoria Lomasko has been travelling around Russia and talking to people as she draws their stories. She spent time in dying villages where schoolteachers outnumber students; she stayed with sex workers in the city of Nizhny Novgorod; she went to juvenile prisons and spoke to kids who have no contact with the outside world; and she attended every major political rally in Moscow.
The result is an extraordinary portrait of Russia in the Putin years -- a country full of people who have been left behind, many of whom are determined to fight for their rights and for progress against impossible odds. Empathetic, honest, funny, and often devastating, Lomasko's portraits show us a side of Russia that is hardly ever seen.
'Victoria Lomasko's gritty, street-level view of the great Russian people masterfully intertwines quiet desperation with open defiance. Her drawings have an on-the-spot immediacy that I envy. She is one of the brave ones' - Joe Sacco, author of Palestine
What does it mean to live in Russia today? What is it like to grow up in a forgotten city, to be a migrant worker or to grow old and seek solace in the Orthodox church?
For the past eight years, graphic artist and activist Victoria Lomasko has been travelling around Russia and talking to people as she draws their stories. She spent time in dying villages where schoolteachers outnumber students; she stayed with sex workers in the city of Nizhny Novgorod; she went to juvenile prisons and spoke to kids who have no contact with the outside world; and she attended every major political rally in Moscow.
The result is an extraordinary portrait of Russia in the Putin years -- a country full of people who have been left behind, many of whom are determined to fight for their rights and for progress against impossible odds. Empathetic, honest, funny, and often devastating, Lomasko's portraits show us a side of Russia that is hardly ever seen.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
May 9, 2022
This was a quick read for the non fiction quarter of Reading Envy Russia - the artist was present for many 21st century protests in Russia, and also did some reportage with groups of people like "working women" and a group of people who had been basically slaves imported from bordering countries but the local government turned a blind eye.
Some of the graphic art is in the moment, like during a court proceeding or a protest march, while some is more refined. Both styles are powerful, and Victoria Lomasko's art and activism are deeply intwined.
Thanks to Lauren for the recommendation!
Some of the graphic art is in the moment, like during a court proceeding or a protest march, while some is more refined. Both styles are powerful, and Victoria Lomasko's art and activism are deeply intwined.
Thanks to Lauren for the recommendation!
July 10, 2017
One of the most vital books to come out of Russia in the Putin era. This is a must-read.
August 19, 2019
What kind of responsibility does an artist have? What I was trying to do, above all, was to break through to a more direct grasp and reflection of the reality around me... I found I had to become an independent researcher, journalist, and activist. I made working at the crossroads of journalism and human rights activism my creative method.
Lomasko's graphic reportage is gathered in Other Russias, and divided into two sections:
INVISIBLE shares the lives of the elderly she meets on public transportation and in community settings. She teaches an art class for teenage "delinquents" at a state correctional facility. She interviews trafficked/forced labor victims who were lured to work in a Moscow grocery store. This group is largely from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and have been enslaved so long that their own children (primarily born after rapes) were also enslaved. (They are now "liberated" but the people who enslaved them still operate and live in the city. She interviews and meets sex workers in brothels, night clubs, and on the street.
ANGRY a look at protests and resistance movements on both national and local levels. The protests of 2012 with Pussy Riot, Nationalists, and the Orthodox church play a large role, and she includes some great drawings and interviews on the "show trials" that took place later. There's also small local resistance movements described against building toll roads for truckers, and building a church on a well-loved park in downtown Moscow.
This approach of drawing the story is so intimate - the time to talk as she sketches. Lomasko states in her introduction that it was important for her to use her art degree and talent to do this work, and not only display within the "sterile white cube" of the gallery.
Lomasko's graphic reportage is gathered in Other Russias, and divided into two sections:
INVISIBLE shares the lives of the elderly she meets on public transportation and in community settings. She teaches an art class for teenage "delinquents" at a state correctional facility. She interviews trafficked/forced labor victims who were lured to work in a Moscow grocery store. This group is largely from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and have been enslaved so long that their own children (primarily born after rapes) were also enslaved. (They are now "liberated" but the people who enslaved them still operate and live in the city. She interviews and meets sex workers in brothels, night clubs, and on the street.
ANGRY a look at protests and resistance movements on both national and local levels. The protests of 2012 with Pussy Riot, Nationalists, and the Orthodox church play a large role, and she includes some great drawings and interviews on the "show trials" that took place later. There's also small local resistance movements described against building toll roads for truckers, and building a church on a well-loved park in downtown Moscow.
This approach of drawing the story is so intimate - the time to talk as she sketches. Lomasko states in her introduction that it was important for her to use her art degree and talent to do this work, and not only display within the "sterile white cube" of the gallery.
May 22, 2017
To know and understand Russia—and the Russian people whose stories never make it to the news—read this book, and read all work by Victoria Lomasko. Her graphic reportage tells stories you wouldn't read anywhere else, stories of children in juvenile prisons, sex workers, slaves, truckers, migrants, retired single women, village teachers, people from LGBT community, political protesters, and more. Please buy this book and tell all your friends about it to support Victoria. Her next book is coming out soon. Spread the word.
August 12, 2022
"The teacher is asking him: ‘Moscow – is that a noun or a proper noun?’ And he says, ‘It’s a street.’ He doesn’t even know Moscow is a city. The word means nothing to him. The teacher said to me, ‘And why should he know what Moscow is? It’s not as if he’s ever going to go there. No one there cares about us.’”
Victoria Lomasko resorts to graphic reportage to present the life of people in Russia who are often not spoken or discussed about in Anglophone media. Her work is primarily to sketch strangers who open themselves to her in pen and ink, and she presents the same with an unusual blend of short-form narratives, quotations, and her own opinions and observations. The book is divided broadly into two sections: Invisible and Angry, the former section covering women, teachers, prostitutes, and slaves who are never reported by the Russian mainstream media and the latter section covers the political disruptions and anger of the working class against the state (especially Putin).
The book devolves around people in the periphery of the society and the author quotes their words verbatim. Older Russians who are still deeply nostalgic about the past Soviet Union, and the new generation who are after materialistic pleasures, and the general rift in the society caused by the State control are well-documented. Lomasko's attention to the minutiae details documents everything about the ordinary people: their clothes, the wrinkles on their face, the cups and the food, their style, and anguish. The stark contrast of the portraits and their hurriedness is established when the person who is interviewed is someone whose time is precious: like the prostitutes who spoke to Lomasko in their fifteen minute break between their clients, the teachers who let her be a part of their class (a class of one teacher and one student), and the election administrators who didn't bother to remove her from the voting booth before committing an election fraud because she, a female artist, "was allowed to stay on as an amusing oddity.”
The women portrayed by Lomasko come in different shades. The prostitutes who are married, hold legitimate day jobs, organize themselves without a pimp, and continue in as a sex worker with their husbands' consent. They are independent women who hold university degree and opting to sex work as a part-time job to meet their material needs. “Some clients ask us to piss on them. But I’d be happy to shit on them, on behalf of all women”, they say nonchalantly while dragging a cigarette. There are also teachers who risk their life to cross a furious river to reach the nearby village, where they can teach for the migrant worker kids. The school has more teachers than the students.
The intimate conversations and portrayal of the slave trade and business where women from the nearby country of Kazakh are lured into to work in a convenience store without money depicts brutality of everyday Russian cities on the marginalized communities (and often such rackets run with the observation and participation of Police, Judge, and locals in Moscow).
She covers the 'Marches of the Millions' in Moscow 2012 which had more than thousand Russians participating in the streets, with balaclava-wearing feminists, demanding free fair elections. "Pussy Riot" was against not only the state but the orthodox babushkas who wave flags to Jesus, and calls to suppress any dissent in the society. The court scenes with arbitrary sentencing of activists and protestors made me think of India, for the modus operandi employed to control dissent sounded so similar. Lomasko, an artist who says, “I became an artist, but I do not feel like a winner”, turns a hopeful note towards the end with the success of the protests of the Lorry drivers in Russia.
In an interview with Viv Groskop in the Guardian, Victoria Lomasko, who was then on a tour in US, noted how Americans ask her questions without knowing much about everyday Russian life. They just wanted to ask me, ‘Did Putin interfere in our elections? Will there be a war? Is Trump Putin’s puppet?’ It was amusing to me. On American radio, they asked me, ‘Why did Russians vote for Trump?’ I said: ‘Guys, you voted for Trump. I didn’t even vote for Putin.’” And, she further adds that she gets asked by the US audience 'how she lives in a terrible country?'. Lomasko then goes on to say, as succinct and brutal like her graphic art with a tinge of humor, that in a lot of ways US and Russia are the same, especially in the way both the countries treat their poor, “Nationalism in Russia is racism in the US.” I agree with her. I would recommend her to include every other country (including my own) in the list.
February 26, 2023
¿Qué os vais a encontrar en este libro?
1º Este es un libro testimonial, la artista Victoria Lomasko relata sus vivencias a través de los dibujos que realizó en directo, mientras entrevistaba a los ciudadanos de Rusia, durante una protesta, en la acampada, a las victimas de injusticias judiciales, etc.
2º Es una oda a la libertad de expresión, presenta la Cara B de Rusia, las injusticias legales y políticas que se realizaron (y se realizan actualmente) en el país, con una impunidad aplastante.
3ºGracias a sus dibujos da voz y pone cara a las personas, víctimas del gobierno.
4ºPese a su tono amargo por los hechos que expone en el libro, también es posible quedarte con algo bueno de todo ello. Y es que Victoria cuenta que gracias a esas concentraciones de gente lograban hacer un hermanamiento y compañerismo entrañable, pese a no conseguir el objetivo que les reunió allí por lo menos se llevaban el hecho de haber luchado por sus ideales al lado de gente maravillosa.
¿Os lo recomiendo?
Rotundamente sí, un libro perfecto para entender lo que Rusia está haciendo ahora mismo con Ucrania. La mejor exposición de hechos y realidades que os vais a encontrar, podéis ver y leer por vosotros mismos a lo que puede llegar el gobierno ruso.
1º Este es un libro testimonial, la artista Victoria Lomasko relata sus vivencias a través de los dibujos que realizó en directo, mientras entrevistaba a los ciudadanos de Rusia, durante una protesta, en la acampada, a las victimas de injusticias judiciales, etc.
2º Es una oda a la libertad de expresión, presenta la Cara B de Rusia, las injusticias legales y políticas que se realizaron (y se realizan actualmente) en el país, con una impunidad aplastante.
3ºGracias a sus dibujos da voz y pone cara a las personas, víctimas del gobierno.
4ºPese a su tono amargo por los hechos que expone en el libro, también es posible quedarte con algo bueno de todo ello. Y es que Victoria cuenta que gracias a esas concentraciones de gente lograban hacer un hermanamiento y compañerismo entrañable, pese a no conseguir el objetivo que les reunió allí por lo menos se llevaban el hecho de haber luchado por sus ideales al lado de gente maravillosa.
¿Os lo recomiendo?
Rotundamente sí, un libro perfecto para entender lo que Rusia está haciendo ahora mismo con Ucrania. La mejor exposición de hechos y realidades que os vais a encontrar, podéis ver y leer por vosotros mismos a lo que puede llegar el gobierno ruso.
August 21, 2019
The reporting is well done and I like the graphic style, but I was hoping more for some representations from the regions, rather than Moscow. The last part about the truck drivers' protest was the best.
January 8, 2022
A wonderful little book that serves as a tribute to the ‘Other Russias’, as opposed to official, governmental Russia, standing in the same lineage and spirit of the great 19th century Russian radical democrat Alexander Herzen, author of the following lines: ‘Has it never really occurred to you when reading Pushkin, Lermontov or Gogol, that there is another Russia besides the official, governmental one?’
Prisoners, sex workers, striking truckers, left-behind towns and villages, the trial of Pussy Riot, protesters at political rallies - whether nationalists, liberals, communists, socialists or anarchists and none of the above;
LGBTI+ activists, and defenders of public spaces against developers (whether business, state, or Orthodox Church linked) are among the ‘Other Russias’ profiled and lovingly illustrated by author Victoria Lomasko.
The book does an excellent job at drawing upon the diversity of contemporary Russian life and the struggles of its peoples.
The most hopeful moments, cutting against the grain of some grim tales, are when solidarity is found, like when a flame flickering in the dark discovers another such flame; such as in the links and mutual support established between a group of striking truckers and defenders of a public park.
Prisoners, sex workers, striking truckers, left-behind towns and villages, the trial of Pussy Riot, protesters at political rallies - whether nationalists, liberals, communists, socialists or anarchists and none of the above;
LGBTI+ activists, and defenders of public spaces against developers (whether business, state, or Orthodox Church linked) are among the ‘Other Russias’ profiled and lovingly illustrated by author Victoria Lomasko.
The book does an excellent job at drawing upon the diversity of contemporary Russian life and the struggles of its peoples.
The most hopeful moments, cutting against the grain of some grim tales, are when solidarity is found, like when a flame flickering in the dark discovers another such flame; such as in the links and mutual support established between a group of striking truckers and defenders of a public park.
September 10, 2019
A brilliant, angry, hopeful book. Lomasko is a graphic artist and has documented every major Russian protest movement of the last decade, from Pussy Riot to the truckers’ camps. Beyond those are the many interviews of the downtrodden and the damned: violent kids in juvie, sex workers in Nizhny, Kazakh slaves in Moscow. Incredible insights into Putin’s land, and squarely in the noble tradition of Russian dissent that stretches back to Herzen and Solzhenitsyn.
June 21, 2021
I was not very familiar with graphic reportage when I picked up this book, but Victoria Lomasko traces its history and her inspiration to the the albums produced by WWII soldiers, concentration camp inmates, and people who experienced the Nazi siege of Leningrad. An incredible history of resistance through the simple act of bearing witness.
Other Russias has the same goal. It looks at marginalised groups in Russia, aiming to capture their voices. Sex workers, LGBT activists, young prison inmates, people from isolated villages, migrant workers from Central Asia. Protests groups, from Pussy Riot to truckers fighting against unfair toll charges to children trying to protect parks against illegal developments. The unifying thread is their humanity, which Lomasko's drawings somehow bring out better than actual pictures possibly could, as well as their struggles to stay afloat. Behind their stories one gets a claustrophobic impression of a society under siege, suffocated entirely by corruption, a society rigged against ordinary people.
By far the most shocking story Lomasko covered was that of the so-called Produckty slaves - migrant workers from Central Asia who ended up in slavery in Russia for years, with the knowledge of the police and authorities in both Russia itself and their countries of origin. Slaves. At a small grocery store. Whole lives ruined for something so small and seemingly unimportant. Some of these women - it was mostly women - actually bore children in captivity, and their children were themselves abused. I knew very little of this story, and I still cannot wrap my mind around the cruelty of it. It makes me sick with anger.
It's a familiar theme - as someone from post-communist Europe myself, being sick with anger at the unfairness of it all is a familiar feeling, but the stories in Lomasko's book go beyond anything I ever experienced in my own country. She documents the horror of the abuse directed at so many parts of society in Russia, the suffocating gratuity and randomness of it. But she also talks about the bravery of ordinary Russian people, who stand up to their abusive regime time and time again despite the regime's increasingly disproportional responses. At one point, a protester says, We defeated Hitler, we can defeat Putin. And I cannot help but think - that's true.
Other Russias has the same goal. It looks at marginalised groups in Russia, aiming to capture their voices. Sex workers, LGBT activists, young prison inmates, people from isolated villages, migrant workers from Central Asia. Protests groups, from Pussy Riot to truckers fighting against unfair toll charges to children trying to protect parks against illegal developments. The unifying thread is their humanity, which Lomasko's drawings somehow bring out better than actual pictures possibly could, as well as their struggles to stay afloat. Behind their stories one gets a claustrophobic impression of a society under siege, suffocated entirely by corruption, a society rigged against ordinary people.
By far the most shocking story Lomasko covered was that of the so-called Produckty slaves - migrant workers from Central Asia who ended up in slavery in Russia for years, with the knowledge of the police and authorities in both Russia itself and their countries of origin. Slaves. At a small grocery store. Whole lives ruined for something so small and seemingly unimportant. Some of these women - it was mostly women - actually bore children in captivity, and their children were themselves abused. I knew very little of this story, and I still cannot wrap my mind around the cruelty of it. It makes me sick with anger.
It's a familiar theme - as someone from post-communist Europe myself, being sick with anger at the unfairness of it all is a familiar feeling, but the stories in Lomasko's book go beyond anything I ever experienced in my own country. She documents the horror of the abuse directed at so many parts of society in Russia, the suffocating gratuity and randomness of it. But she also talks about the bravery of ordinary Russian people, who stand up to their abusive regime time and time again despite the regime's increasingly disproportional responses. At one point, a protester says, We defeated Hitler, we can defeat Putin. And I cannot help but think - that's true.
March 11, 2017
Exceptional art and reportage that carries a lot of thought, complexity, and emotion. A must-read for anyone interested in Russian society and protest movements.
December 28, 2022
Valentina, 73 years old: Way to go Pussy Riot! I would have sung “ Mother of God, chase Putin Away” with them.
She is holding a sign that says: What a talent for treating the people like idiots. (Referring to Putin).
This is just one of the graphic drawings of an elderly activist.
There is so much people do not know about Russia. It has such a strong layer of activists. Of course many have been put in prison or sent to the gulag. A history of activism in Russia, particularly the last 20 years, is what Victoria Lomasko documents with her drawings and commentary in the book Other Russias.
Lomasko spends several sections on Pussy Riot, a major protest that had a very strong impact in Russia, including the trial and jailing of the women. There are sections on LGBTQ activists and protests by women, as well as her interviews of enslaved women and prostitutes.
One very sad case was the 2012 framing of Taisiya Osipova in Smolensk who was an activist registered with a party called Other Russia. First she was sentenced to 4 years in prison then the judge overturned the verdict and sent it to another court. This was delayed until Putin’s election when she was finally given 8 years in prison. A diabetic with a young daughter, she was first convicted of selling heroin, reminiscent of the framing of Brittany Griner.
The LGBTQ sections are fascinating because Victoria Lomasko shows her pictures and documents the film choices of Side By Side in St. Petersburg, a group I am familiar with.During their work together, there were several bomb threats over ten days and many clashes with homophobes. Other protests documented were the grassroots protests after the killing of Boris Nemtsov.
It is so important for the rest of the world to know that there are a large number of people who are against Putin. It’s just one reason I appreciate her book and work. I didn’t even mention the Khimki truckers’ strike which was very significant but not reported on by the media.
All these activists are just the tip of the iceberg in Russia. Right now the Russians are being maligned throughout the world because of Putin’s war in Ukraine. Thank Victoria Lomasko for this great book.
She is holding a sign that says: What a talent for treating the people like idiots. (Referring to Putin).
This is just one of the graphic drawings of an elderly activist.
There is so much people do not know about Russia. It has such a strong layer of activists. Of course many have been put in prison or sent to the gulag. A history of activism in Russia, particularly the last 20 years, is what Victoria Lomasko documents with her drawings and commentary in the book Other Russias.
Lomasko spends several sections on Pussy Riot, a major protest that had a very strong impact in Russia, including the trial and jailing of the women. There are sections on LGBTQ activists and protests by women, as well as her interviews of enslaved women and prostitutes.
One very sad case was the 2012 framing of Taisiya Osipova in Smolensk who was an activist registered with a party called Other Russia. First she was sentenced to 4 years in prison then the judge overturned the verdict and sent it to another court. This was delayed until Putin’s election when she was finally given 8 years in prison. A diabetic with a young daughter, she was first convicted of selling heroin, reminiscent of the framing of Brittany Griner.
The LGBTQ sections are fascinating because Victoria Lomasko shows her pictures and documents the film choices of Side By Side in St. Petersburg, a group I am familiar with.During their work together, there were several bomb threats over ten days and many clashes with homophobes. Other protests documented were the grassroots protests after the killing of Boris Nemtsov.
It is so important for the rest of the world to know that there are a large number of people who are against Putin. It’s just one reason I appreciate her book and work. I didn’t even mention the Khimki truckers’ strike which was very significant but not reported on by the media.
All these activists are just the tip of the iceberg in Russia. Right now the Russians are being maligned throughout the world because of Putin’s war in Ukraine. Thank Victoria Lomasko for this great book.
December 10, 2018
For the first time pretty much all year I got AHEAD on reading for my global book club! This was so eye opening to read. I love graphic novels and the format is especially helpful here, as it allows us to see the diverse kinds of people Lomasko describes. It's easy to forget living so far away in America and amidst all the propaganda we get about Russia just how damn big it is (literally continent+ sized) and how many infinite groups of people live there. There's a stereotypical U.S.S.R. type bully we know from TV, but there are actually thousands of minority groups who are routinely forgotten, especially those in the Caucasus region. It was fascinating to hear more detailed, intimate story of the struggles those groups are going through and to knit together a more complex understanding of contemporary Russia. I was also fascinated with the ubiquity of the Orthodox church, which is another small cultural difference that has outsized impact on the conflict between "East vs. West." All in all I found this a really illuminating, fast read that gave far more insight into the everyday lives of Russians than it really had any right to. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wouldn't mind checking out some of Lomasko's other work.
October 23, 2018
This book is a patchwork of sketches and opinions of a range of ordinary people struggling with the government and church. The artist has sat down in court rooms to hear the trial of dissidents and members of Pussy Riot, hung out on picket lines and at mass demonstrations and visited schools and prisons. The pictures aren't polished but there's a kind of immediacy to them, mixed in with the person's own words. The whole thing is really fresh and illuminating. It was a chance find - I picked it up in Waterstones Piccadily and I'm really glad I did!
January 16, 2022
Lomasko took her responsibility as a journalist and an artist to give a voice to the people in Russia who quite literally don’t have a voice - it’s especially interesting reading through trials that I knew nothing about (the slavery cases and pussy riot trials). i can’t imagine how hard it must be for the russian underclass to live under Putin.
October 8, 2017
I got this at the 2017 Bay Area Art Book Fair. A series of interesting (and clearly subversive stories) about life in Russia. The theocratic and oligaric forces in Russia shown in the negative light that they deserve. Anybody who harbors exicitement about life in modern Russia is cleary not in the mainstream. The stories all include many drawings by the author.
May 10, 2020
Raw insights into the many faces of Russia's activist culture
April 10, 2021
Clever format, a unique perspective on issues you would never otherwise hear about.
March 31, 2021
I was gifted this book for my birthday a number of years ago, which is the perfect way to make sure I never actually read the book lol. But I did it, so there!
Content notes for trials, beatings, police violence and corruption, slavery/forced labour, bomb threats, and one of the people who attends Lomasko's drawing class in the juvenile prison part of the book is a skinhead.
What is the nature of the violence? All of it is described by text only.
What kinds of keywords came to mind while I was reading this book? Invisible, poverty, exploitation, standing up, and reality.
A nonfiction collection of different projects that Lomasko has created between the early 2000's and 2017 and thus does jump around a bit, but each piece is connected via the strong thread of other or invisible Russians. I also appreciated how Lomasko did give a brief explanation of how she found herself in that place and time. Highly interview based, I still felt like I got a pretty good picture of who Lomasko is, which is very important to me. Some of the topics/events covered in this book were Orthodox protest against urban planning, women in the Russian provinces, teaching drawing in a juvenile prison, village schools, slaves in Moscow, sex work in Nizhny Novgorod, election protests, occupations, the trial of Pussy Riot, an LGBT film festival, and a trucker protest.
As far as art and words go, I was a bit worried about the text I saw in this book, but it really flew by. With each page only including up to one picture at most, the way the text broke down page to page was very well balanced. The art isn't really pretty, but is very solidly in the graphic reportage tradition and reflected a lot of the energy of these people and scenes. The style did change a bit section to section, probably influenced by the place where she's drawing.
As far as gender went, things were pretty binary; while we do get some glimpses of the treatment gay men and lesbians in Russia, we don't hear about trans or none binary gender experiences. This is probably at least in part due to the fact that Russia seems to be a pretty homophobic place. That said, I was excited that we had an entire section on sex work, which is something people generally avoid or stigmatise. The discussion of legalization was frank and interesting, and this section in particular really sat apart from the rest of the book.
As far as race went this was the intersection I felt the difference in countries the most. Namely, race is a social construct that does look different around the world so it probably played a larger roll in the book then I realized. Any insight on that front would be appreciated, but I should definitely look into that further myself as well. As I noted a skinhead did take Lomasko's drawing class in the juvenile prison that she volunteers in for a while, so be prepared for that. What I found most interesting was Lomasko's coverage of immigrant labour in Russia.
Profiling people of lower classes was certainly a central theme to the collection. We do not spend much time at all with anyone who is doing particularly well in modern day Russia that's for sure.
Profiling anything directly linked to disability activism was lacking from the book, and certainly something I would be interested in learning more about. That said, some of the sections did focus more or less on people's bodies. The chapter on slavery in particular, highlighted the violence and disregard for human life that lead to a lot of disability. The section on sex workers also highlighted the intersection of disability and hiring sex workers that I've only ever heard mentioned in the sex and disability podcast before. So that really caught my eye.
Overall, despite not knowing that much about Russia I did feel like I was able to connect with a large section of this book. The exception being about two thirds in when Lomasko focuses on a series of protest movements. I still found a couple interesting, but overall without anything more then the barest context my eyes did glaze over a couple of times. But that was only briefly. It's hard to rate a book when I know so little about the country but I think I will start out with a four out of five stars. My initial impression of this book is that it is of a very high quality, and Lomasko's goal to highlight the invisible every day people of Russia felt like one I could easily share in.
Content notes for trials, beatings, police violence and corruption, slavery/forced labour, bomb threats, and one of the people who attends Lomasko's drawing class in the juvenile prison part of the book is a skinhead.
What is the nature of the violence? All of it is described by text only.
What kinds of keywords came to mind while I was reading this book? Invisible, poverty, exploitation, standing up, and reality.
A nonfiction collection of different projects that Lomasko has created between the early 2000's and 2017 and thus does jump around a bit, but each piece is connected via the strong thread of other or invisible Russians. I also appreciated how Lomasko did give a brief explanation of how she found herself in that place and time. Highly interview based, I still felt like I got a pretty good picture of who Lomasko is, which is very important to me. Some of the topics/events covered in this book were Orthodox protest against urban planning, women in the Russian provinces, teaching drawing in a juvenile prison, village schools, slaves in Moscow, sex work in Nizhny Novgorod, election protests, occupations, the trial of Pussy Riot, an LGBT film festival, and a trucker protest.
As far as art and words go, I was a bit worried about the text I saw in this book, but it really flew by. With each page only including up to one picture at most, the way the text broke down page to page was very well balanced. The art isn't really pretty, but is very solidly in the graphic reportage tradition and reflected a lot of the energy of these people and scenes. The style did change a bit section to section, probably influenced by the place where she's drawing.
As far as gender went, things were pretty binary; while we do get some glimpses of the treatment gay men and lesbians in Russia, we don't hear about trans or none binary gender experiences. This is probably at least in part due to the fact that Russia seems to be a pretty homophobic place. That said, I was excited that we had an entire section on sex work, which is something people generally avoid or stigmatise. The discussion of legalization was frank and interesting, and this section in particular really sat apart from the rest of the book.
As far as race went this was the intersection I felt the difference in countries the most. Namely, race is a social construct that does look different around the world so it probably played a larger roll in the book then I realized. Any insight on that front would be appreciated, but I should definitely look into that further myself as well. As I noted a skinhead did take Lomasko's drawing class in the juvenile prison that she volunteers in for a while, so be prepared for that. What I found most interesting was Lomasko's coverage of immigrant labour in Russia.
Profiling people of lower classes was certainly a central theme to the collection. We do not spend much time at all with anyone who is doing particularly well in modern day Russia that's for sure.
Profiling anything directly linked to disability activism was lacking from the book, and certainly something I would be interested in learning more about. That said, some of the sections did focus more or less on people's bodies. The chapter on slavery in particular, highlighted the violence and disregard for human life that lead to a lot of disability. The section on sex workers also highlighted the intersection of disability and hiring sex workers that I've only ever heard mentioned in the sex and disability podcast before. So that really caught my eye.
Overall, despite not knowing that much about Russia I did feel like I was able to connect with a large section of this book. The exception being about two thirds in when Lomasko focuses on a series of protest movements. I still found a couple interesting, but overall without anything more then the barest context my eyes did glaze over a couple of times. But that was only briefly. It's hard to rate a book when I know so little about the country but I think I will start out with a four out of five stars. My initial impression of this book is that it is of a very high quality, and Lomasko's goal to highlight the invisible every day people of Russia felt like one I could easily share in.
January 2, 2019
A very unique graphic novel (Lomasko calls her work “graphic reportage”) that gives a voice to the downtrodden in Putin’s Russia through art. We meet enslaved women lured from Kazakhstan under a false promise of work, sex workers, juvenile delinquents taking art classes in prison, children of ethnic minority migrant workers in rural schools that are pressed for resources, and LGBT Russians putting on queer film festivals amidst bomb threats. The second part of the book focuses on recent activism in Russia during the years 2008 to 2016, from Pussy Riot to protests surrounding Putin’s re-election, truckers pushing back against steep tolls to locals who don’t want their parks converted into Orthodox churches. Lomasko documents several trials of activists, and this was quite eye-opening; the women in the band Pussy Riot, for example, faced years of jail time for "hooliganism" and "inciting religious hatred" after publicly speaking out against the president. I also found it interesting how some activists were suspicious of all parties and emphasized that they wanted to avoid “politics” and stick to a single issue.
The book’s format is a bit different than other graphic novels I’ve read. There is mostly one drawing per page which is accompanied by large chunks of text, and some drawings are more sketchy than others, since Lomasko makes a point of drawing all her subjects in real time (and in some cases had time limits). The introduction emphasizes some differences of culture and tradition that influenced the style, for instance there is apparently a taboo against life drawing in post-Soviet Russia (thus the drawing in and of itself is a form of protest). Lomasko also explains that her activism builds off of a tradition of “albums produced by Russian soldiers, concentration camp inmates, and people who experienced the Nazi siege of Leningrad. In many cases, urgent work like this was the only kind of reporting that was done in these brutal conditions — these albums were the sole acts of witness.” All in all I liked this new (to me) style of artistic activism and appreciated the chance to get distinct glimpse into certain aspects of contemporary Russian society that are not frequently covered here in the US.
The book’s format is a bit different than other graphic novels I’ve read. There is mostly one drawing per page which is accompanied by large chunks of text, and some drawings are more sketchy than others, since Lomasko makes a point of drawing all her subjects in real time (and in some cases had time limits). The introduction emphasizes some differences of culture and tradition that influenced the style, for instance there is apparently a taboo against life drawing in post-Soviet Russia (thus the drawing in and of itself is a form of protest). Lomasko also explains that her activism builds off of a tradition of “albums produced by Russian soldiers, concentration camp inmates, and people who experienced the Nazi siege of Leningrad. In many cases, urgent work like this was the only kind of reporting that was done in these brutal conditions — these albums were the sole acts of witness.” All in all I liked this new (to me) style of artistic activism and appreciated the chance to get distinct glimpse into certain aspects of contemporary Russian society that are not frequently covered here in the US.
August 27, 2018
A very unique book. I first picked it up because it intersected with three of my interests- contemporary Russian society, activism, as well as trying to practice my very rudimentary Russian (really, more like parsing Cyrillic). What I've instead discovered is a fascinating insight into the struggle between Russian grassroots activists and the state, in a well-illustrated account spanning many episodes.
There is often a temptation to cast Russian politics as a losing battle between liberal reformist opposition and an authoritarian, oligarchic society, but this is a good reminder that politics is ultimately a contest of wills, a negotiation of power between numerous social actors. This book focuses on those actors from all walks of life- middle-class residents, journalists, truckers, even migrant workers from neighbouring countries (in the very moving chapter on human trafficking/slavery).
These incidents surround many struggles across different topics- from the well-known Pussy Riot trials, to the strikers by truckers on Platom, and even the Russian prison system. Throughout all this, Lomasko does more than recount (although facts are plainly presented for you): she remains an unobtrusive but well-connected and conscientious observer, whose pictures are often a testament to the human side of suffering within the Russian state. Make no mistake, she is not a bare-faced member of the political opposition, for it is impossible for you to be in her shoes, see what she sees and come out without feeling indignant at the injustice and indignity perpetuated by the Russian state.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's remotely interested in Russian politics and society. It's true to it's title, and gives a sympathetic and well-rounded image of the voiceless, the oppressed and the ordinary in Russian society.
There is often a temptation to cast Russian politics as a losing battle between liberal reformist opposition and an authoritarian, oligarchic society, but this is a good reminder that politics is ultimately a contest of wills, a negotiation of power between numerous social actors. This book focuses on those actors from all walks of life- middle-class residents, journalists, truckers, even migrant workers from neighbouring countries (in the very moving chapter on human trafficking/slavery).
These incidents surround many struggles across different topics- from the well-known Pussy Riot trials, to the strikers by truckers on Platom, and even the Russian prison system. Throughout all this, Lomasko does more than recount (although facts are plainly presented for you): she remains an unobtrusive but well-connected and conscientious observer, whose pictures are often a testament to the human side of suffering within the Russian state. Make no mistake, she is not a bare-faced member of the political opposition, for it is impossible for you to be in her shoes, see what she sees and come out without feeling indignant at the injustice and indignity perpetuated by the Russian state.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's remotely interested in Russian politics and society. It's true to it's title, and gives a sympathetic and well-rounded image of the voiceless, the oppressed and the ordinary in Russian society.
January 8, 2024
A good survey on the some of the groups of people who have been marginalized in Russia over the last decade or so, and how people in these groups relate to politics (if they do at all). I was familiar with a number of these stories before, but I think for those who are new to them, it’s a good introduction.
March 12, 2018
A fascinating read, and an interesting genre.
July 31, 2021
I bought this book whilst browsing a tantalising graphic novel store, and locked eyes with this and bought it as soon as I read the blurb. I’ve never read anything quite like it, graphic reportage, that is. It has around a 2:1 scale between images and text, both being selected and crafted so purposefully, as to demonstrate exactly what Lomasko wants to show in as succinct yet tacit a way as possible. This is certainly not the definitive representation of modern Russia, focusing mainly on areas in and around Moscow, but a delightfully insightful compendium nonetheless.
The book has no continuous structure, rather is split into two sections, ‘invisible’ and ‘angry’, each with their own chapters on distinct topics. Across the book there’s a nice variety to all these subjects, under the umbrella of Lomasko’s experiences and journalism.
As snapshots of unique themes, the drawing proves fantastic at providing a wonderful insight into modern Russia and its peculiarities. It is also worth noting that Lomasko’s drawings are “produced from life”, and so were actually drawn there and then, literally capturing the moment in her art. Considering this, Lomasko’s style of reportage, both in text and drawing, works best in personal profiles of individuals. Here, I felt, the book is most emotive, allowing me to truly visualise these people, and ponder as to their wider lives and struggles. I often found myself wondering where these people are now, some 4 years after the book was published, hoping that their lives have improved.
I was enthralled by these microcosmic profiles of individuals, some as ephemeral as a single profile drawing with a quote, and so adored the first section of the book, ‘invisible’. ‘Invisible’ is much more about the people, ‘angry’ is more about the politics of Russia in recent years, particularly that of opposition to the government, in various forms. Lomasko evidently feels a duty to preserve knowledge of these events, be them as widely known as the pussy riot trial, or as forgotten as the trucker’s nationwide strike in 2016, which was deliberately ignored by the media at the behest of the hegemony. This is certainly interesting, but I must admit that I preferred the first section of the book. ‘Angry’ has a tendency to list key events or moments in the subject that the chapter focuses on, and doesn’t provide much exposition as to the situation as a whole. This means chunks of it revolve around supposition as to the wider happenings in the political landscape, rather than it being overtly stated briefly. The first section certainly feels like a more curated dive into different facets of modern Russia. This isn’t necessarily hugely problematic, but just means that ‘angry’, by broadening its scope away from individuals as well as the other slight problems described above, lacks as powerful a sense of grounding humanity as ‘invisible’. This is not to say that these complaints apply universally to this section. There are still powerful moments and the final (and longest) chapter of the book sees a return to form, focusing on individuals and their respective struggles as part of small, grassroots protest movements, ending the book on an endearing note.
Overall, I’m so glad that I bought this book. Lomasko shows a real tact in her artistry, understanding both the significance of it to the viewer and the subject simultaneously. Ultimately, her work becomes the medium between the two. For bridging that gap, if only momentarily, and for showing me these real people and their struggles, I must thank her. When considering this, I feel very touched by the purpose of this book, and that’s why I am compelled to give it 5 stars.
The book has no continuous structure, rather is split into two sections, ‘invisible’ and ‘angry’, each with their own chapters on distinct topics. Across the book there’s a nice variety to all these subjects, under the umbrella of Lomasko’s experiences and journalism.
As snapshots of unique themes, the drawing proves fantastic at providing a wonderful insight into modern Russia and its peculiarities. It is also worth noting that Lomasko’s drawings are “produced from life”, and so were actually drawn there and then, literally capturing the moment in her art. Considering this, Lomasko’s style of reportage, both in text and drawing, works best in personal profiles of individuals. Here, I felt, the book is most emotive, allowing me to truly visualise these people, and ponder as to their wider lives and struggles. I often found myself wondering where these people are now, some 4 years after the book was published, hoping that their lives have improved.
I was enthralled by these microcosmic profiles of individuals, some as ephemeral as a single profile drawing with a quote, and so adored the first section of the book, ‘invisible’. ‘Invisible’ is much more about the people, ‘angry’ is more about the politics of Russia in recent years, particularly that of opposition to the government, in various forms. Lomasko evidently feels a duty to preserve knowledge of these events, be them as widely known as the pussy riot trial, or as forgotten as the trucker’s nationwide strike in 2016, which was deliberately ignored by the media at the behest of the hegemony. This is certainly interesting, but I must admit that I preferred the first section of the book. ‘Angry’ has a tendency to list key events or moments in the subject that the chapter focuses on, and doesn’t provide much exposition as to the situation as a whole. This means chunks of it revolve around supposition as to the wider happenings in the political landscape, rather than it being overtly stated briefly. The first section certainly feels like a more curated dive into different facets of modern Russia. This isn’t necessarily hugely problematic, but just means that ‘angry’, by broadening its scope away from individuals as well as the other slight problems described above, lacks as powerful a sense of grounding humanity as ‘invisible’. This is not to say that these complaints apply universally to this section. There are still powerful moments and the final (and longest) chapter of the book sees a return to form, focusing on individuals and their respective struggles as part of small, grassroots protest movements, ending the book on an endearing note.
Overall, I’m so glad that I bought this book. Lomasko shows a real tact in her artistry, understanding both the significance of it to the viewer and the subject simultaneously. Ultimately, her work becomes the medium between the two. For bridging that gap, if only momentarily, and for showing me these real people and their struggles, I must thank her. When considering this, I feel very touched by the purpose of this book, and that’s why I am compelled to give it 5 stars.
December 29, 2023
Other Russias is a straightforward illustration of the multifaceted and seemingly conflicting realities of modern-day Russia, an essential reading for understanding Russia outside the often-stylized canons pushed on us by mainstream European/Western media.
The work collects Victoria Lomasko’s reports from 2008 to 2016 on “people living on the margins of Russian society”. The graphic novel is divided into two sections, the Invisible and the Angry. Moving throughout both sections we see the stories from the most disparate backgrounds: from young skinheads in juvenile prisons, who grew up in poverty and are consumed by hatred and anger, to stories of migrant workers and sex workers, to generations of old people romanticising the Soviet past, to the LGBTQ+ rights activists, and much more.
While Lomasko depicts the “invisibility” of the people in the first sections as defined by their social isolation - as “they have no way to move up in life” - I believe that the people and stories portrayed in the second section, which tells of Russian grassroots activist actions against rampant censorship and political oppression, are also invisible or, rather, invisibilised, especially in the eyes of us outsiders in Europe/the West. I had bought and read this graphic novel when it just came out, then I read it again last year in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many of the accusations directed against the Russian people were based on perceived “apolitical attitude and inertia” by people who, sitting in the comfort of their privileged (presumably) free democracy, were unable to understand the inner nature of the Russian government and its general suffocating control over all aspects of life. A civic society which - in my extremely reductive and perhaps trivial analysis - has not yet digested the trauma of the fall of the Soviet Union and, under Putin, has grown “suffocated” in its quest for “freedom”. Although it has been almost 7 years since the book was published, and almost 10 years since many of the events covered in it (such as the Pussy Riot trial and the Bolotnaya Square case) re-reading it made me realise how the complex dynamics expressed in the graphic novel shed some light on the Russian people's political immobility.
It would be interesting to see a similar account of the “other Russias” beyond the Moscow sphere, and the myriad constellations within the ever-diverse different republics.
Nevertheless, a must - and pleasurable - read.
The work collects Victoria Lomasko’s reports from 2008 to 2016 on “people living on the margins of Russian society”. The graphic novel is divided into two sections, the Invisible and the Angry. Moving throughout both sections we see the stories from the most disparate backgrounds: from young skinheads in juvenile prisons, who grew up in poverty and are consumed by hatred and anger, to stories of migrant workers and sex workers, to generations of old people romanticising the Soviet past, to the LGBTQ+ rights activists, and much more.
While Lomasko depicts the “invisibility” of the people in the first sections as defined by their social isolation - as “they have no way to move up in life” - I believe that the people and stories portrayed in the second section, which tells of Russian grassroots activist actions against rampant censorship and political oppression, are also invisible or, rather, invisibilised, especially in the eyes of us outsiders in Europe/the West. I had bought and read this graphic novel when it just came out, then I read it again last year in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many of the accusations directed against the Russian people were based on perceived “apolitical attitude and inertia” by people who, sitting in the comfort of their privileged (presumably) free democracy, were unable to understand the inner nature of the Russian government and its general suffocating control over all aspects of life. A civic society which - in my extremely reductive and perhaps trivial analysis - has not yet digested the trauma of the fall of the Soviet Union and, under Putin, has grown “suffocated” in its quest for “freedom”. Although it has been almost 7 years since the book was published, and almost 10 years since many of the events covered in it (such as the Pussy Riot trial and the Bolotnaya Square case) re-reading it made me realise how the complex dynamics expressed in the graphic novel shed some light on the Russian people's political immobility.
It would be interesting to see a similar account of the “other Russias” beyond the Moscow sphere, and the myriad constellations within the ever-diverse different republics.
Nevertheless, a must - and pleasurable - read.
November 24, 2020
Other Russias is a book that talks about ordinary people that are generally not covered in conventional media. The book uses a form of graphic reporting - a mixture of text and drawn pictures. The pictures themselves are drawn on the spot and hence much of the coverage is rawer and less refined than conventional media.
The book is divided into two parts, the first part - Invisible - looks at marginalized parts of the populations such as indentured labor (slavery), prostitutes, isolated villages, and imprisoned people. The second part - Angry - focuses on populist and political movements such as Pussy Riot trials, Grassroots political movements, and an LGBT Film festival.
The book is based on the period of Putin's rule till 2017 and lends through words and drawing the nameless and faceless people of Russia. Hence the name of the book "Other Russias". While I liked the book and its an interesting commentary, I felt that there was missing historical context in many of the stories (especially in the second half) and I had to go to Wikipedia and other sources to understand the background. Otherwise, it is a fine book that reminds me somewhat of Joe Sacco's work. Probably 3.5 stars.
The book is divided into two parts, the first part - Invisible - looks at marginalized parts of the populations such as indentured labor (slavery), prostitutes, isolated villages, and imprisoned people. The second part - Angry - focuses on populist and political movements such as Pussy Riot trials, Grassroots political movements, and an LGBT Film festival.
The book is based on the period of Putin's rule till 2017 and lends through words and drawing the nameless and faceless people of Russia. Hence the name of the book "Other Russias". While I liked the book and its an interesting commentary, I felt that there was missing historical context in many of the stories (especially in the second half) and I had to go to Wikipedia and other sources to understand the background. Otherwise, it is a fine book that reminds me somewhat of Joe Sacco's work. Probably 3.5 stars.
April 11, 2020
I really enjoyed "Other Russias" for the most part. Some very interesting topics shown and discussed, I learnd a lot! I wish there would have been more details on the events and more background information, but at least the book inspired some further research work for me. The art style is not very beautiful in the common sense, but at times interesting and definitely illustrative! I guess it is very hard to draw on the go and capture the moments through graphic reportage, so I think the outcome of such a unusual method is just for that worth checking out. Naturally, this graphic novel is very subjective, as it exclusivly shows the experience of the artist - for better judgement I therefore need to check out some other sources. "Other Russias" is the first graphic novel I ever read, so it's hard for me to review it properly - I can't compare it to other books in that genre. But overall I had a good reading experience - eye-opening and thought-provoking, informative and in parts even emotional. A great and valueable piece of art, for sure.
December 27, 2022
I've decided as my early-new years resolution to actually start writing reviews for all the stuff I read consistently, so here I go. Sadly most if not the majority of modern Russian literature and political journalism never makes it out of translator limbo, so when browsing n+1 published stuff I was really excited to get my hands on this. And boy, does it not disappoint. Its writing is simplistic and editorial, letting the illustrations speak for itself. The visuals feel real, despite the thick ink and comics bubbles. This is because Lomasko provides and intimate portrayal of both events internationally covered events and those censored by even the Russian people. In painting this portrait of events, the world of Russia feels early similar to America's political state and also to foreign for me to even grasp; a to small gaze into a larger picture at hand. Despite this, I think this is why I kept coming back to it, wanting to soak up the knowledge and experiences at the heart of the Russian people. It also makes me want to punch Putin more for all his bullshit.
January 7, 2022
A short work, impressive for its graphic drawings of protest and people marginalized by the state. The author sketches from life, rapidly, urgently, in a style reminiscent of concentration camp art. The protesters—LGBT activists taking a doomed stand against Putin's thuggish homophobic laws, truckers rebelling against road tolls, residents objecting to another new Orthodox church built in their local park—are remorselessly crushed by the state and its random, selectively applied laws. These are the invisible people who never feature on state-controlled Channel One. There is something deeply depressing about protest in Russia. There's a kind of symbiotic relationship between oppressor and protester, an acceptance almost. The state oppresses, the protestors sacrifice themselves. The state breaks the law; protestors are imprisoned for decades on cooked-up charges. It's brave and futile, and nothing ever changes.
March 28, 2023
Mosca è bellissima, ci sono stata due volte, incontrando persone che non sfigurerebbero nelle strade di Londra, Parigi, Milano.
Eppure questi cosmopoliti riescono ad opporsi alla mania del re Putin, all'avidità del patriarca ortodosso e alle assurdità dei loro yes-men.
Qualcuno ci prova, come il quartiere che è riuscito salvare il parco dall'essere raso al suolo per costruire l'ennesima chiesa, o i camionisti che si sono ribellati a una estorsione sotto forma di tassa.
Altri non ce la fanno, come i tanti oppositori che scompaiono quanti giornalmente, o come le Pussy Riot, condannate dopo un processo farsa per un'accusa insensata.
Victoria Lomasko è stata dappertutto, e ha disegnato tutto, per testimoniare quello che succede nel proprio paese.
Eppure questi cosmopoliti riescono ad opporsi alla mania del re Putin, all'avidità del patriarca ortodosso e alle assurdità dei loro yes-men.
Qualcuno ci prova, come il quartiere che è riuscito salvare il parco dall'essere raso al suolo per costruire l'ennesima chiesa, o i camionisti che si sono ribellati a una estorsione sotto forma di tassa.
Altri non ce la fanno, come i tanti oppositori che scompaiono quanti giornalmente, o come le Pussy Riot, condannate dopo un processo farsa per un'accusa insensata.
Victoria Lomasko è stata dappertutto, e ha disegnato tutto, per testimoniare quello che succede nel proprio paese.
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