Tatyana smells a flower in her room. Tatyana was the most independent person with Down syndrome living in Svetlana. She took care of her mother and planned her funeral, and could handle life's most difficult tasks. ©Mary Gelman.
Cabbages hang stored in a cellar in Svetlana village. Residents grow their own vegetables, working hard in the summer months to store enough to last the winter. They also produce cheese, cottage cheese, and enough milk for themselves and to sell to their neighbors. ©Mary Gelman.
Lisa, a volunteer, with a donkey on a walk. She has been at Svetlana Village for nearly two years. She worked in the bakery, took care of the donkey and worked on the farm. Young people from different countries often come to live and work in the village. ©Mary Gelman.
Minya and Tatyana sit together after Bible study. Svetlana residents get dressed up and spend time together every Saturday, discussing a chapter from the Bible and sharing their impressions of the week. ©Mary Gelman.
Vika is an adopted daughter of one of Svetlana's workers, Sarah Hagnauer, an English woman, and her husband Boris. Vika has Down syndrome, she does not speak much but expresses herself with sounds and so-called ways of alternative communication, for example, with the help of gestures. Curious and open, she can unexpectedly appear anywhere in the village, she is very attentive and takes part in everything that interests her. Problems with speech do not interfere with communication. ©Mary Gelman.
Minya's birthday. He is 50, and he regularly writes letters where he imagines himself as the deputy director of the village. The villagers of Svetlana resemble one big family. They all came to celebrate his birthday. ©Mary Gelman.
As a child, Julia had meningitis. She is not able to read and write because of organic lesions of the brain; it is impossible to teach her. Julia works in a cheese factory and she is proud of it. She collects applications for products, though she cannot write down anything — she hands a piece of paper and a pen with such a look, as if it was a trifle, and she has no time to write it down: 'Write it down yourself, please!' Julia can keep her dignity. Even in the field in waders, Julia walks as if it's a podium; she is aware of her attractiveness. She is caring: anyone who is familiar to her even in some way, she asks: 'How are you?' and listens carefully to the answer. ©Mary Gelman.
Minya and Tanya called each other husband and wife. One day they quarreled, sitting opposite each other at the table. Tanya flew into a rage, started screaming at Minya. He took her by the hand and said, “Tanya, calm down. Nothing happened. I love you.” One of the residents of the house, who helps in the kitchen, saw it and got amazed: not every man in the ordinary world is able to find words that can so quickly soothe his beloved woman. ©Mary Gelman.
Natasha is a best friend of Tatyana and Minya. The picture was made by Tatyana for the "M+T" project. ©Mary Gelman.
Mikhail, an 11th-grade student, attends the rural Morkinsky school. In their graduating class, there are 12 people. He wants to go to St. Petersburg for further studies, but in his mature years, closer to old age, he wants to return to his native village. ©Mary Gelman.
Costumed Mari people are in the house of one of the residents of the village Shlan during the celebration of the Mari New Year, 'Shoryol.' ©Mary Gelman.
A boy wears the skin of a killed bear in the village of Kilemary, Mari El Republic. ©Mary Gelman.
Mari women walk in the village of Shlan, Mari El. ©Mary Gelman.
Alyona and Sasha, a couple, are photographed hugging in their room. ©Mary Gelman. "I heard 'Pig, sow, cow, oink-oink' more often than my name. All the people in kindergarten and school insisted that I quit dancing because being a fat girl in dancing sounded like a scandal! Once at school, we were rehearsing a dance, and while I was dancing, about ten boys from the class surrounded me. They were grunting and laughing at me. I always loved to dance, but I gave it up because every time I tried, I was kicked and bullied. It was even harder at home. My mother was ashamed of me, and my father beat me. He always thought I ate too much and controlled me. He would dump a plate of food on my head or smash it against the wall. I was afraid to eat and could starve for weeks. My mother hid food from me or cooked something I didn't like on purpose. Sometimes I ate leftovers from the kindergarten that she had picked for our dog. My father didn't care about that food, so I could reach it. When my mother was in the hospital, my brother and I stayed with our father. He locked me in a room for about five days and didn't give me anything but water. Everyone was obsessed with my weight. For most of my life, I thought about death. It's hard to live when you are not respected and bullied solely because of your weight. A couple of times, I tried to drown myself, but my mother pulled me out. A few years ago, I found love, learned about other overweight people on Instagram, started to read about body positivity and feminism. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be here right now."
A group of drag artists prepares in a dressing room for a performance in a cabaret in Saint Petersburg. In this cabaret, the atmosphere is one of camaraderie and support, laid-back with chats and jokes all around. A cabaret with a drag show is a lively and entertaining performance venue that features drag artists performing a variety of acts, including lip-syncing, dancing, and comedy routines. The atmosphere is usually filled with energy as the performers interact with the audience, creating a sense of community and acceptance. The shows often incorporate elaborate costumes, makeup, and humorous banter. In the end of 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the "international public LGBT movement" as extremist. ©Mary Gelman.
Bagoa is from Yamal, and he is queer. He has been a drag performer for about 7 years. He started his career as a model, embracing an androgynous style and taking part in women's shows. In a patriarchal binary society, qualities like hypersensitivity, vulnerability, and empathy are often considered weaknesses for a man, but Bagoa believes that this perspective is misguided and that these qualities are gifts. Through drag, he has found an outlet to express his softer side, embodied by his alter ego, Afrodita. Additionally, he engages in art therapy, modeling, and choreography. Bagoa holds the belief that the drag scene will always endure, even in the face of growing homophobia and censorship. He states, "My energy is enough to challenge and diminish homophobia, at least in my immediate surroundings. I am strong, I am a force to be reckoned with, and I refuse to be a victim." In the end of 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the "international public LGBT movement" as extremist. ©Mary Gelman.
Mona Pereroni is in the smoking room before a drag show at one of the clubs in St. Petersburg. This club has since closed its doors. "This job brings joy to people. In the club, they relax, and I want them to have fun and enjoy themselves. But at the same time, I really like that I can convey more serious matters to people from the stage. In my monologues, I always emphasize issues about human rights, LGBT community rights, the importance of not being afraid to take an HIV test, the incorrect actions of our politicians towards the LGBT community, touch on women's rights, and transgender discrimination. In general, I try not to resort to clownery but also to talk about important issues," he stated in one of his interviews. In the end of 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the "international public LGBT movement" as extremist. ©Mary Gelman.
Palad'd'a, an artist, feminist, and member of the Udmurt people from St. Petersburg, has been vocal against the war on social media. Unfortunately, four criminal cases have already been opened against her for alleged phone terrorism. She has faced regular searches at her home and has been in a temporary detention facility three times. Due to this persecution, she made the difficult decision to leave Russia. "I don't think the monsters will disappear if you close your eyes. The main thing is not to keep silent," she emphasized. ©Mary Gelman.
Jan Dvorkin faced a court trial on charges of "homosexual propaganda" after a report was filed by custody authorities. Jan, a public transgender non-binary figure and the director of a major initiative called "Center T," which provides assistance to transgender individuals, became the first LGBTQ+ activist in Russia to face such a trial. He was fined 100,000 rubles (approximately 1,150 euros). More significantly, he lost custody of his critically ill son, whom he had been caring for for six years since the age of five. "I am married to a man, I have a child... I defend traditional values much more than these corrupt people in power who maintain mistresses," Jan stated. It's worth noting that Center T has been labeled as a foreign agent, and in the end of 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the "international public LGBT movement" as extremist. ©Mary Gelman.
Winter view from the roof of a panel building on Kanonersky Island in St. Petersburg, Russia. ©Mary Gelman.
Elena and Larisa, two tundra women inside a wigwam in the courtyard of the Tazovsky District Local Lore Museum. ©Mary Gelman.
Maxim plays with his friend before the rehearsal of the performance at the Uppsala Circus. The most important thing in the circus for Maxim is not the performances or awards but the communication. Before joining this circus, he had no friends. In Russia, there are still many prejudices against people with Down syndrome. They are not considered full-fledged individuals with the ability to learn and socialize, they often remain unemployed, and they are considered useless to society. ©Mary Gelman.
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Mary Gelman

Contributing Photographer

Mary Gelman is a Russian queer photographer, visual storyteller, and producer.

After graduating with a degree in sociology, Mary became involved in photography. She often explores themes such as identity, trauma, vulnerability, and resilience, and seeks to challenge stereotypes and prejudices. She also focuses on life and the ideology of alternative communities and different social groups facing discrimination. The most important part of her practice is diving deeper into the topics and interactions with people, where empathy, trust, and understanding are significant.

Gelman has won several different awards, including the World Press Photo, Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Pictures of the Year, and Istanbul Photo Awards, amongst others. Her work has been published in TIME, The Washington Post, Le Monde, Die Zeit, The New York Times, and more.

Latest updates

“Moscow’s War in Ukraine Brought Harsh Tactics Against Gay Russians at Home”

January 11, 2023

“Hope Gives You the Strength to Act.”

April 27, 2022

Mary Gelman, World Press Photo Contest 2022 Regional Winner

March 29, 2022
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