Chuckloma

Kostroma Region, Russia. Avraamievo-Gorodetsky Monastery. 2010–2012

The Avraamievo-Gorodetsky Monastery is located 700 km northeast of Moscow. It was founded in the 14th century and closed by the Soviet authorities in the 1920s. The entire brotherhood of the monastery was executed. Its revival began in the 1990s. The monastery is situated in a poor and sparsely populated area, yet it largely performs a social function. Here, through labor, prayer, and discipline, former drug and alcohol addicts and former convicts attempt to start a new life. This is a fairly typical situation for Russia, yet at the same time one that is difficult for an outsider to witness.

I came here over the course of several years and had the fortunate opportunity to photograph freely for an extended period of time.