Photographer Vlad Molodez and his brother Misha live in Siberia. This intimate portrait series is a sincere reminder of the strong bond between siblings and the shared emotional journey of life's constant changes..

‍

VM: 'The protagonist of the series is my brother Misha, who is essentially my reflection. As we returned to our childhood home in Siberia and got lost in the memories, we caught a wave of inspiration: we listened to music, danced and did make up together and eventually decided to create something. The imagery for makeup appeared immediately, out of nowhere, the brush just flowed and flowed around the face and everything came together so easily. The series is a breath of fresh air for me, especially in times like today. While melancholic and perhaps gloomy, a spark of light shines through the photographs - this is what self-expression is for me. The self-expression that is increasingly missing. 

These days I can only communicate through my conceptual art projects that are filled with personal meaning and metaphors. Conversations like these inspire me a lot, while filming this series with my brother, I felt like I was looking at myself, coming back to my own childhood memories. The extraordinary manner in which he appears before the camera highlights how much more the young generation in Siberia is open to the world, how much more freedom they feel than my generation used to. In my childhood, self-expression was a central topic for me, so I experimented with my looks - I cut my hair myself and wore peculiar clothing, but my peers never understood me and I was bullied a lot at school throughout the 7 years I spent there. It was a really tough time for me. 

However, working with kids and teenagers as a photographer these days, I see a tremendous difference and I am hopeful for a better future. These kids are kind to each other and it warms my heart to see that this creative vision is getting much more widespread each year. '

‍

‍