Photo artist Lapshin Vladimir Germanovich presented people with his view of the world around him: the landscapes of Ukraine and its collegiality, Donbass waste heaps and the fate of a miner. He has achieved international recognition. The sudden death of V. Lapshin overshadowed his admirers.
From biography
Lapshin Vladimir Germanovich was born in 1954 in the town of Kotelnich, Kirov region. The family moved to Ukraine in Gorlovka. He began to take a great interest in photography at the age of 14, when his mother gave him a Smena camera. This gift has become an irreplaceable friend for him. Despite the fact that he could only use one hand, Vladimir began to train. The first photo he took during a sports competition in eighth grade was published in the newspaper.
Creativity of a photo artist
When V. Lapshin worked as the head of a photographic studio, classes with children brought certain benefits. The works of his pupils were considered the best. After graduating from the faculty of photojournalism, he began to thoroughly engage in art photography. At first I shot landscapes, then there was the theme of “Cathedral Ukraine”. The miners' topic remained relevant for a long time. Then he was captured by waste heaps, which, together with the miners, made him an international photo artist.
Landscape sadness
In V. Lapshin's landscape photographs, the sky is most often cloudy, but not dark. The season is summer, early autumn, less often winter. The rivers are shallow. Low-rise buildings of the town on the shore of the water surface. Autumn alley, all strewn with yellow leaf fall. Evening sunset, and the grasses on the horizon seem to be peering into it. There are many photographs with landscapes around waste heaps. A lonely little birch tree that has grown among low waste heaps. In the distance, a waste heap is visible, and near the grass-feather-grass grows, not bending under the pressure of the wind.
Cathedral Ukraine
His photographs on the theme “Cathedral Ukraine” remind of the main quality of Christians - the unity of all in love and faith, that the experience of such beauty is a sacred feeling. Temples directed to the sky, their interior painting, the procedure of worship - all this was seen by the observant eye of V. Lapshin.
The miner's fate in plain sight
The hard, often thankless and dangerous work of the miners is reflected in V. Lapshin's photographs in their appearance, in their appearance, in their facial expressions. Dark faces, in which sometimes the hope for a better life shines through … Here is one of the pictures. The miner is sitting, bending over and covering his face with his hands. Maybe this is his first day at work and he is tired. Or maybe he miraculously survived. After all, he is the support of the whole family. And he always was. He is grateful to fate that he stayed alive. V. Lapshin, creating images of miners, wanted to reflect their specific post-work state, their inner composure, the responsibility of a family man.
Waste heaps - a symbol of native places
Beauty and this happens … Not a heavenly place … Like another planet … There is space and freedom … Such attractive and interesting landscapes … A real creation … A fantastic feast for the eyes … This is the impression that catches the eye on waste heaps photographs. The photo artist seems to say: "There is beauty in everything, you just need to see it." V. Lapshin showed the skill of creating terricone landscapes. As a true artist, V. Lapshin suddenly saw primordial beauty in these rough industrial waste and tried to convey it to people. His waste heaps mystically fascinate and awaken strong emotions. To many, this world seems wonderful. To some, these pictures resemble a fantastic world, as attractive as on Mars, on the Moon, but empty, dead, where there may not be and will not be the germs of life. Therefore, these landscapes can also cause sadness. It becomes a pity for this volcanic desert.
Thus, the photographer, creating Martian landscapes on the site of abandoned mines, wanted to evoke feelings in the audience. And what they will be depends on each person.
About waste heaps
The word "waste heap" consists of two French roots: terril - rock dump and conique - conical. Man creates them artificially when waste from various industries is poured. Reactions can occur inside the waste heaps that lead to fires and explosions. Ecologists are concerned about the appearance of waste heaps and raise the problem of their landscaping. Adults living in these places protect children from such extreme, convincing them that it is possible to fail and burn out.
Happy theme
V. Lapshin was a top rated wedding photographer. Taking pictures of a young husband and wife, I wanted to capture their joyful and enthusiastic state, their inner strength for a long family life. An interesting picture shows a man's palm with two wedding rings on it. The palm is open and the man is open to the woman. He is ready to put on a wedding ring, he is ready to get engaged - that is, to go hand in hand with a woman for many years.
Kind and unusual world of the artist
Awarded with the Golden Samandra and awarded the title of EFIAP international photo artist, the famous extreme photographer V. Lapshin helped to see the good and the unusual in the world around him. People are grateful to him, who died in 2015 so suddenly - from a blood clot - for that.
