Photography: A view of Russia through the prism of its youth

In 2004 photographer Rafał Milach began a long-term documentary project about Russia, and quickly realized it would be impossible to comprehend the vast and complex nation. Instead, he focused on documenting the daily life of the generation of young Russians who have grown up in the country's transformational period after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The resulting series of photos - entitled "Young Russia" - is on display at Yours Gallery in Warsaw to the end of March.

"As far as it was possible, I was trying to get to know the various aspects of their life - from penitentiary camps and cadet schools, through exclusive clubs, pubs, and parties, to a series of ordinary, everyday situations," Milach says. "I was a witness to positive events and to those which showed that the chaos of transformation is still present, and that the hope for improvement is still small," he adds.

Like his previous projects, showing drab Silesian towns, huge cities crowded with despondent people or the life of a close community of Vietnamese immigrants in Poland, viewers of Milach's young Russians have a feeling that they observe both sides of the camera - the subject and the photographer.

"Rafał's photography is characterized by a sociological point of view," says Piotr Piotrowski, the president of Yours Gallery. "He shows the world through a prism of characters."

For more information call Yours Gallery at +48 022-890-9500, or log on to www.yoursgallery.pl