Lisa Sarfati, Rough, Cold and Close: A Russian Poem

Lise Sarfati’s photos of Moscow boys and early 20th century country houses look, at first glance, like the set and actors from a movie about the “Russian experience.” But there is no defining narrative or script, there is simply the thoughtful, meditative eye of a photographer seduced by the faces of urban men and the facades of rural homes.

Sarfati’s work has been featured in solo exhibitions at FOAM Amsterdam; the Domus Artium, Salamanca, Spain; Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris, France; and the Nicolaj Center of Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1996, the artist was awarded the Prix Niépce in Paris and the Infinity Award from the International Center of Photography in New York. Twin Palms published a book of the artist’s second body of work titled The New Life (La Vie Nouvelle) in the fall of 2005. Ms. Sarfati obtained a master’s degree in Russian Studies from the Sorbonne. She currently lives and works in the United States and Paris, France.