1937

Edge of Humanity Magazine

1 year ago

Photographer Lolita Chaprak is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this documentary photography. From the project ‘1937’. To see Lolita’s body of work, click on any photograph.

The era of Stalinism is known for massive political repressions, oppression of people and violations of human rights. The victims of repression were imprisoned in Gulag camps, where living conditions were extremely difficult: hunger, cold, exhausting labor and abuse became an integral part of their daily lives. Loss of freedom, lack of personal rights and terror permeated every corner of society, creating an atmosphere of fear and silence.

This photo project aims to understand the consequences of the Great Terror, during which over a million people were subjected to political persecution and violence by the Soviet regime, while 681,692 were sentenced to death. My great-grandmother was among the victims – her story became the starting point for this photo project. On July 29, 1937, she was taken from her home, accused of spying for Japanese intelligence. After six months in prison, two days after the New Year, she was shot at 15:00. Did she have hope of salvation while waiting for the new year? Or did she know that she would not get out of there alive?

Studying archival photographs that I inherited from my grandmother in a shoebox, I plunged into the life of my distant ancestors, with whom I never had a direct connection. By exploring the fate of my great-grandmother, I am trying to understand the emotional and social aspects of the Great Terror. Tracing the trauma that was passed down to me and became an integral part of my life experience.

Lolita Chaprak (1997) — visual artist and documentary photographer. She was born in Taganrog — a small city, located in the south of Russia. She currently lives in Tbilisi. Lolita works with documentary photography and print forms. In her projects, she explores complex and painful topics such as Stalinist repressions, the consequences of conflicts, and death. Her work is focused on storytelling, where personal and social upheavals, as well as changes in life, take center stage. For her, photography is a means of communicating with the world and an opportunity to make sense of the heavy and tragic events that shape our reality. Since the end of spring 2024, she has been a member of the art group «Particles».

All images and text © Lolita Chaprak