Brazen youth: an ode to St Petersburg’s exuberant spirit

Dima Komarov’s subject of choice is his friends and peers in St Petersburg, most of them shot in their natural environment, whether that be out in the city streets or in the intimacy of their homes. Komarov captures the recognisable tokens of youth: the ecstasy and the confusion, the fooling around, the crushes and stick-and-poke tattoos. At the same time, in the context of the rise of political conservatism in Russia, his images depict the attitude and ethos of a young generation, their values radically different from those of the establishment. In the softness and joy of Komarov’s work, there’s a sign that his subjects reject stale norms, and embrace freedom, empathy and inclusivity above all else.