Luriki (Colored Soviet Portrait)

The photographic series Luriki (1971-1985) comprises 38 juxtaposed portraits. Originally in black and white, they have been partially or entirely coloured by hand.

After selecting photographs found in family albums or photographing his subjects himself, Boris Mikhaïlov came up with a process of adding colours to negatives, a cynical and ironic imitation of they way Soviet propaganda artificially highlighted the gloomiest events among the proletariat class. With this series, Mikhaïlov hoped “to speak on behalf of everyone to express the simple truth about the society of our time.”

The artist’s work was first shown by the Pinault Collection at the Palazzo Grassi at the "Le Monde vous appartient" (“The World Belongs to You”) exhibition (2011 - 2012).