The book "Igor Palmin PAST PERFECT"

The personal exhibition of photographs by Igor Palmin "PAST PERFECT" was organized within the framework of a large-scale exhibition project dedicated to the Moscow nonconformism and holding in the halls of the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation in summer-autumn 2011. For the opening of the exhibition was published a catalogue-book, proposed to the attention of readers. Igor Palmin is rightly called a chronicler of Moscow nonconformist art. His photographs won a wide recognition from the public; historic importance has his reportage photography of the exhibitions in Izmaylovsky Park, pavilion "Bee Keeping" and City Committee of Graphics, iconic events of unofficial Moscow cultural life of the 1970s - 1980s.

Palmin belonged to the closed for the "strangers" circle of the nonconformists, was familiar with many unofficial artists and representatives of the creative elite of that time and was a direct participant in related events.

The book "PAST PERFECT" shows the readers the wonderful world of the creativity of Dmitry Krasnopevtsev, Oscar Rabin, Erik Bulatov, Ernst Neizvestny, Vladimir Nemukhin, Anatoly Zverev, Lidia Masterkova and many other artists captured at work in their studios, during the apartment exhibitions, friendly meetings and leavings.

The spectrum of Igor Palmin's creativity is somewhat broader than chronicle presentation of nonconformism. It seems that he actually managed to capture not only the persons and events, but also the Time itself. The Images of Moscow with skillfully caught signboards, buildings, city street mise en scene, creating a unique, well remembered by the older generation and totally unknown by youth image of Moscow of the 1970s to the early 1980s.

The book "PAST PERFECT" has an exclusive place in the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation publishing program. The work on the book was conducting for several years. The only source which contributed the photographs for the publication was a unique archive of the author.

Currently "PAST PERFECT" is the most complete publication of the photographs by Igor Palmin. The texts of the book are presented in two languages – Russian and English. It includes the autobiographical preface by the author, an interview with the author, as well as the article by art critic Faina Balakhovskaya. Photographic series are accompanied with Igor Palmin's comments.