Reindeers running from lasso. Tevlin’s family ancestral territory. KhMAO. Russia. 2018

Near Surgut, Russia(KhMAO) in Russkinskaya village lives Antonina Tevlina from Khanty people. Her mother and father still lead an indigenous way of life. Nomading and grazing reindeers at their ancestral territory.

Near 50% of oil in Russia are producing in KhMAO region, oil field areas often coincide with indigenous peoples residence places. About 1.5 million tons of oil are poured out annually into the Russian environment, this figure is approximately twice the volume of Gulf of Mexico spill in 2010.

Oil spills, pollution of water and lakes, ecosystem destruction - all these leads to reducing reindeer population and endangers indigenous peoples traditional way of life.

Shot on 35mm film soaked before developing in dirty oil liquid taken from oil spills in KhMAO region. Oil destroys film surface burns it with holes and scratches exactly as harmed environment deformed under oil spillage