Polina Shubkina - HK Top Models - YOUTH Issue project showcase
We are gearing up to the launch of our Youth issue soon and we’re highlighting some of the most interesting submissions. Come and see us at the Youth Exhibition opening on December 14. at Gallery 881 in Vancouver.
Between 2011 and 2013, I documented a group of fashion models from former Soviet countries working in Hong Kong. As a photographer, my work has always focused on exploring the intersection of culture and identity. My project, "HK Top Models," delves into these themes through the experiences of young people from former Soviet countries who come to Hong Kong to pursue modeling. Born between 1988 and 1993, these individuals represent the post-perestroika generation, navigating the complexities of their inherited histories and the allure of capitalist megapolis lifestyles. I chose to shoot this project on film to capture their genuine experiences and the stark realities of their pursuit of a better life abroad, avoiding posed shots or requests to delete images. Growing up in the shadow of Perestroika, they were caught between two worlds. Elders spoke of the fleeting glory and communist values of a bygone superpower, while Western media introduced them to a glamorous, rebellious lifestyle. This conflict fostered a deep desire among the youth to escape their homelands for a 'better' life. With its demand for white models and promises of luxury, Hong Kong became an ideal destination. I began documenting the lives of these amateur models, capturing moments from fashionable nights out to their more somber, private moments. Many were not professional models but were at a stage where they knew they were pretty enough to model, hoping this could be their ticket out of their country. Their hope for a better life was palpable. However, most had to leave after their contracts ended, a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the youth in their quest for a brighter future.
