Teriberka, Abstractions for Dima

Dear Dima,

You would like to become a doctor and live in Moscow...
You are 11 years old, bright and lively like the wind you live in Teriberka.

Teriberka is the end of a road ... Closed down factories, abandonned projects, broken promises ... forgotton families...

"I love Teriberka" you repeated over and over to be sure the Toundra heard you.

You laughed a lot, sang and told me tales, showed me the rotting pile of wood under which your Mother was born, the abandoned block of your Aunt and the remains of your dead Grandmothers flat.
I preciously kept the small piece of wallpaper that you carefully peeled off the wall for me.

Then, you invited me to your "Observatory", your rock, your tower: Teriberka from on high.

I felt joyful and I can still hear your laugh bouncing off the wind. I want to reply to the echo of your laugh as it is the best ally of the sea, the cliffs, the toundra and hope.

These images are extracts from the abandonment of your village.
But I wanted to see the clarity and colour of those who are hanging on by a thread and yet resisting the force of the wind of despair.

Thank you Dima. You are 11 years old , bright and lively as the wind, "you are Teriberka" and these colours are for you...