February 08, 2019

Tomin: Video Artist Extraordinaire


Tomin: Video Artist Extraordinaire

The camera moves toward a Russian apartment block window to reveal that the view outside is of the Earth from space...

Looking out another window onto a courtyard, clothespins on a line suddenly turn into birds and fly away...

These are but two mesmerizing scenes from Russian artist Tomin’s latest video, Sketches. Clocking in at just two minutes, it offers about a dozen mind-bending scenes.

There is something unsettling and yet attracting about Tomin’s work. At one level it is completely whimsical (the clothespins or the view of Earth), while on another it is also a bit disturbing (odd red blogs being ejected from a stoplight). But it is always creative and beautifully polished.

Tomin (full name Vladimir Tomin) lives and works in Khabarovsk, which he describers as a place of "very cold winters, pretty hot summers, absolutely beautiful nature and not much else. To an outside observer, our city might appear a bit simplistic side, but I love it!"

Tomin says he does his art, "if I may call it that [yes, you definitely can!] mainly as a distraction from my main work. I do motion graphics for living, but there is rarely any creative freedom, the client is always right, haha). So when I do my stuff it’s very liberating. A good contrast!"

As to where he finds inspiration for his offbeat realities, Tomin says that "anything around can be an inspiration. All you really need to do is to clear your head and be open to the world around you. If you have enough free space in your mind, there is good chance sometime soon this space will become occupied with some really good ideas. You need some training to recognize that an idea is in fact good and worth doing. And you need to know your skillset, because some ideas are just too hard to do, and hard to do is not always the same thing as good. And that’s pretty much it!"

Easy for him to say...

Tomin’s art is a curious mixture of video and 3D rendering that is at times disturbingly real (the cursor peeling up the center line in a road, or the birds and penguin on the roof), but other times obviously rendered (the charger that turns into toilet paper, or a wall outlet that turns into a pig’s snout), but no less fun to watch.

Here are a few other compilations from the mind and work of Tomin. Enjoy and be sure to use the buttons at the top of the page to share with others. And be sure to also visit Tomin’s website.

Carpenator is a bit of a rumination on Arnold Schwarzenneger, because, well, why not?

Portals is a mesmerizing trip through city parks where one reality blends into another.

Render is a more obvious blending of 3d modeling and video, but with some fun and surprising effects.

Finally, 2019 is a holiday video with a fantastic opener that is perfect for those in the North currently “enjoying” the depths of winter.

 

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955