In the south of Russia, in the republic of Dagestan, tightrope walking was a common practice. It is said that this now circus-like art was born here as a means to make one’s way over craggy landscapes.
It is difficult to find documents attesting to the origin of this art. However, it appeared in the 19th century as a way for warlords to gain an advantage over the Russian occupiers unused to this Caucasian terrain.
Then, little by little, tightrope walking became a way to earn a living in remote places where nothing grows. Troops performed their shows from village to village. It was very profitable, and so the discipline became attractive. Given the competition, the artists became masters—Soviet circuses came to recruit their tightrope walkers in Dagestan. There were villages like Tsovkra-1, where one says that all inhabitants could once stand on the tightrope. But today those villages are falling to ruins. There mostly remains nostalgia among elders, and a desire to move away among youngsters.
But in the face of this impoverishment, a few still resist—they practice as best they can. Others strive to pass on the skill, opening schools where everyone can learn.
Artist Bios
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Jérémie Jung
Jérémie Jung (1980) is a French photographer with an interest in the Baltic area and the post-Soviet fringe where a high cultural and geopolitical tension intertwined.
Jung’s work has been exhibited at the Musée d’Orsay, France (2018) and the Rencontres d’Arles, France (2019) among others. His stories were published by National Geographic and the Washington Post among others. He received the ANI-PixTrakk award at the Visa pour l’image festival in 2017. Jung’s work about Estonian minorities was published in the form of a photo book under the title “Au Large du Temps” (Imogène editions, 2018).
Jung graduated from the fine arts college of Strasbourg, France (2002) and trained in photojournalism at the EMI-CFD School in Paris, France (2011). He studied Russian and Estonian languages at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris.
Jérémie Jung is a member of the Signatures agency since 2013.
Organizations
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Photoville
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
The Last Dagestanese Tightrope Walkers
Featuring: Jérémie Jung
Curated by: Jérémie Jung
Locations
View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn1 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
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This story was made possible thanks to Mallory Benedict at National Geographic and Ilyas Hajji and Lukman Nazhmudinov in the field.
