Gagarin's flight to outer space in 1961 marked the beginning of the "space boom" in the USSR. Epic drive to the space validated and glorified the Soviet system and propelled cosmonauts to the status of national heroes of mythical statue. The collapse of the Soviet Union put an end to the cosmic epos of communist ideology. Its debris can now be found scattered around the former USSR.

Peaceful Space Exploration Museum was created in 1979 as a part of "Pereyaslov" National Reserve 120 km from Kiev, Ukraine. The museum is located in a wooden church, circa 1833. Placement of the museum allowed the founder of the reserve Mikhail Sikorsky to save the church from the destruction by the Soviet authorities.

Galya, the museum custodian, calls it simply – "Cosmos". She opens the doors on request from the visitors: "Are you going to "Cosmos"? Wait a minute, I'll open it for you".

Born in Kiev in 1981. Photographer since 2006. Studied culture history and theory at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Kiev, Ukraine). Worked as a stringer for Ukrainian office of Associated Press and weekly magazine 'Ukrainsky Tyzhden'. Took part in a gr ...

In-between
Korchevatoe. Nostalgia for Childhood
The jeweller