Rock and Faith

Rock and Faith is a visual story dedicated to the Old Ritualist settlements in the Altay mountains of Russia. Presently, in spite of the overall fading of old traditions and lifestyle there remain communities of Old Religion preachers within those settlements. The members of such communities profess the “true faith” in its form that is identical to the original one that had existed before the Russian Orthodox Church reform was introduced by patriarch Nikon in the 17th century. Back then, the policy aimed at the modernisation of both church and faith, whose purpose was to

strengthen Russia’s ties with Europe, inflicted strong resistance in religious people; especially the serfdom-bound peasants. In the absence of physical freedom the only consolation and proof of living for such people was their faith in God: their artistic skill and life will manifested themselves through rituals and traditions. As such, the government-issued orders to change the rituals and religious texts, as well as their subsequent enforcement, resulted in mass fleeing of the religious

people in search of places where they could hide and preserve the “true faith” that they inherited from their ancestors. Thus, the Altay region became one of the centres where Old Ritualists found their refuge and the opportunity to live freely for themselves and their descendants. The mountains that cover the terrain ensured a secure hideout and the wild nature’s abundant resources allowed for establishing

settlements there.

During my travel and meeting the inhabitants of these Old Ritualist villages I pursued the goal of discovering and experiencing a certain spirit; the mind state of the descendants from those migrant escapists who, after having been chased away and persecuted, once found their heaven on Earth among the beauty and abundance of nature. Spirituality, alongside deep connection to nature,

became their escape as well as their foundation for a simple life. I reckon that today’s world is in need of recovering what has been lost during the process of societal development. Stories like this present an opportunity to consider the principles of a simpler, more sustainable life that is built upon labour, natural resources and spiritual values. The story of “Rock and Faith” may serve as an invitation to reflect upon the historical processes of development; the condition that the modern man currently finds himself in, and also the prospects of alternative directions in which the society could develop.