March 1, 2014
Alexander Gronsky: Moscow's edgelands
The Russian photographer Alexander Gronsky has a series on Moscow's edgelands entitled Pastoral/Moscow Suburbs 2008-2012. Edgelands usually refer to those untidy spaces or zones that are neither urban nor rural, but some undefined zone between the two.
Alexander Gonsky, Pastoral, #3
He explores the way people make use of a patch of green--- sunbathe, huddle round smoky campfires and picnic--that are wastelands or abandoned land within Moscow city.
Alexander Gonsky, Pastoral, #18
These are places where people take refuge to find solace far from the cities. He frames the proximity of the big city: glimpses of skyscrapers and industrial parks can be seen in the distance between the trees or, sometimes, surprisingly close to the people “surrounded by nature”.