Donbass Chocolate 1997

Arsen Savadov made "Donbass Chocolate" using photography, and what strikes me is how the stark monochrome palette throws the figures into high relief. It's like each person is caught in a moment of labor and dress-up, a strange mix of grit and tulle. This reminds me of a painting process, when you keep adding, and excavating, never quite sure what'll be uncovered. The coal dust, thick on their skin, feels like a layer of pigment, turning the figures into living sculptures. My eye is drawn to the central figure, covered in dark pigment, wearing a pale tutu, surrounded by what looks like cake stands. The whole image has a feeling of Nan Goldin's documentary photography; a record of a transient world, a social landscape on the edge. It makes you think about the labor of the body and the imagination. There is no fixed meaning, only an unfolding story.