A traditional horse race of the Tuvinese National Festival Naadym in the steppe, at 43 degrees. The horses and their riders cover a distance of 30km. Seven horses died in the heat. © Nanna Heitmann

Hiding from Baba Yaga

Nanna Heitmann

2018 – Ongoing — Mongolia, Russia

About this series

Heitmann’s series ‘Hiding from Baba Yaga’ is a poetical journey along one of the most powerful currents on earth. The river flows 3438km from the Mongolian border northward through all Siberia into the Arctic Ocean. The remains of the USRR history bear heavily on its shores and on the everyday life of its inhabitants. Heitmann’s lyrical photographs capture the social bond connecting different communities together, and are evocative of their isolation and dreams while living in one of the coldest places on earth.

This year The Ian Parry Scholarship celebrates its 30th anniversary. Nanna Heitmann was the 2019 recipient and received the Sunday Times Award for Achievement. The scholarship has helped launch the careers of many fine photographers; It is the longest-running young photographers’ award in the world and its recipients come from all across the globe. The winners’ work is published in the Sunday Times Magazine and they automatically receive a place on the World Press Masterclass. Applications for this year’s scholarship are now open and it is free to enter.
To apply, please visit  ianparry.org/scholarship

The girl Vaselisa in the village of the Old Believers. Her parents are both deaf and dumb and the only unbelievers in a village that lives strictly to century-old rituals. Her only friend lives in the village of Sissim. The summer holidays over the Yenisei and a walk separates them from each other. © Nanna Heitmann
A small ferry boat is the only connection to the village of Old Believers, Erzhey. The Old Believers turned against the reforms of the Patriarch Nikon, who reformed from 1652 texts and rites of Russian Orthodox worship. Therefore, many fled to the most remote areas of Russia. First from the Tsar, later from the Soviets. Along the upper reaches of the small Yenissei, there are many small villages of the Old Believers, which still try to live self-sufficient, far away from Western influences. © Nanna Heitmann
Yuri built his little hut on a dump so he can feed his 15 dogs with what he finds in the dump. Everything he owns he found on the rubbish dump. Inside it is dark. He has covered the small windows so that the hut does not heat up too much in the short but hot summer. © Nanna Heitmann
Khuresh is a type of wrestling sport and the national sport of the Tuvan Republic, a partially recognized state in southern Siberia. No national festivity is celebrated without a khuresh match. The people of Tuva even create sagas and legends about their favorite athletes, ascribing supernatural qualities to them. © Nanna Heitmann
While waiting for the bus, Dolga‘s daughter Aida-Sai is sleeping on her lap in the summer heat. In the summer temperatures in the Republic of Tuva climb to 50 degrees plus. In winter it gets up to minus 50. © Nanna Heitmann
In the Soviet Union there was a lot of industry in Siberia. Today, the people feel forgotten by Moscow politics. In Tuva unemployment is very high, alcohol consumption and the use of synthetic drugs have become a major problem. The capital of Tuva, Kysyl, is considered the most dangerous city in Russia. The former huge flour factory is closed. Even grain is only imported. © Nanna Heitmann
It‘s summer holidays. Valentin injured his head when he made a dive while bathing. In summer brakes are a nuisance, they are everywhere. © Nanna Heitmann
Valentin describes himself as an anarchist ecologist. He is a retired officer .. Today he lives on his small property in the forest. Even at minus 50 degrees, he sleeps by the fire, outside or in his small tent. © Nanna Heitmann
Evgenii with his rat Barclay in his apartment in Krasnoyarsk. Next year, he will move to the US for five months to earn enough money to own a car. After watching the movie Ratatouille, he immediately bought a rat at the pet store. © Nanna Heitmann
A large number of fires spread this summer in Siberia. A dry and warm winter caused many fires. At the same time, wildfires are commonplace in the densely wooded area. Here the forest is burning not far from the city of Minusinsk. © Nanna Heitmann
 

Photographer: Nanna Heitmann
Nationality: German, Russian
Based in: Moscow, Russia
Website: nannaheitmann.com
Instagram: @nannaheitmann

Nanna Heitmann (b. 1994) is a German and Russian documentary photographer. This award will allow her continue her project ‘Hiding from Baba Yaga’, which is a poetical journey along one of the most powerful currents on earth. The river flows 3438km from the Mongolian border northward through all Siberia into the Arctic Ocean. The remains of the USRR history bear heavily on its shores and on the everyday life of its inhabitants. Heitmann’s lyrical photographs capture the social bond connecting different communities together, and are evocative of their isolation and dreams while living in one of the coldest places on earth. Heitmann was shortlisted for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award and was the winer of the student award of World Report Award 2018. She joined Magnum Photos as a nominee in 2019.