Five favorites
1 Golden Gate area, Kyiv, Ukraine (part of a city)
2 Stakhanov, Ukraine (city)
3 Mamiya 7 II (medium format camera, 1995–2014)
4 Portrait of a Lady by Dominique Ropion (perfume)
5 Exotic pole dance (performative practice, dance)
«When it comes to moving my body, dancing is where I connect the best with who I am. It’s beautiful. Regular pole dancing is more acrobatic, with a lot of tricks, whilst exotic pole dance is more creative and — speaking for myself — a bit more about sensuality, sexuality» 17.04.2023 #1 2023
Five Favorites: Julie Poly Tekst av Kjetil Røed.
Kjetil Røed: You just came home from Ukraine, how are things back home?
Julie Poly: For now, it’s okay, especially compared to the first days of the Russian invasion, when there was the fighting in the streets, a lot of chaos. In the beginning, everybody was in a panic. But now we have an appropriate system for the air raid siren, we are united as never, and we keep fighting on all fronts for our freedom and independence. The day marking one year since the full large-scale invasion is approaching, though, and I expect Russia will intensify the attacks … but we are brave, and we are prepared for everything.
By the way … A few days ago, I took a few pictures of soldiers coming home from the difficult battlefield in Bakhmut. However, I don’t want to be specific, I’ll show this work soon in an exhibition in Berlin called “FOTOGRAFISKA DAYS”, which opens March 23rd at Atelier Gardens.
By the way … A few days ago, I took a few pictures of soldiers coming home from the difficult battlefield in Bakhmut.
KR: Let’s get to the favorites and stick with Ukraine. Golden Gate area in Kyiv, what makes that special for you?
JP: I live there, it’s my home as well as my favorite place in Ukraine. Especially the old Saint Sophia Cathedral which is a part of the whole structure, and the old buildings, even though some of it is recently been reconstructed, go all the way back to the 11th century fortifications of Kyiv, then the capital of Kyivan Rus’. The Golden Gate area is a hub for a new generation of Ukrainians, too, with a lot of galleries and cafes. It’s the best place for me in Kyiv. I love the mix of vintage, historical and contemporary.
I live there, it’s my home as well as my favourite place in Ukraine. Especially the old Saint Sophia Cathedral which is a part of the whole structure, and the old buildings, even though some of it is recently reconstructed, goes all the back to the 11th century fortifications of Kyiv, then the capital of Kyivan Rus’.
The name, “Stakhanov”, comes from Aleksej Grigorjevitsj Stakhanov, a coal-mining worker in the Soviet era — in the 1930s, actually — who managed to dig out 14 times as much coal in a shift compared to the regular worker. He turned out to be like a “star” during the Soviet era.
KR: The best mix, I agree. But when it comes to homes, one of the other favorites on the list is home too, yes? Stakhanov city.
JP: Indeed, I was born there in the east, in the Luhansk region. But it has been occupied by the Russians since 2014. I could go there before the war, though, because it is my native home, but now it’s impossible. That makes me sad because I cannot visit my grandmother, my relatives.
KR: I’m sorry to hear that. But the city is quite different from Kyiv, right?
JP: Yes, it is a kind of post-industrial city, for a long time it was the center for coal mining in the area. The name, “Stakhanov”, comes from Aleksej Grigorjevitsj Stakhanov, a coal-mining worker in the Soviet era — in the 1930s, actually — who managed to dig out 14 times as much coal in a shift compared to the regular worker. He turned out to be like a “star” during the Soviet era. But everything there was closed and run-down since I was a kid. In any case, the landscape of the post-industrial territories is so close to my soul.
KR: Which leads us to the camera, Mamiya 7 II.
JP: My favourite photographs were done with that camera. I love the fact that it’s a wide format, but still compact. My most important working tool.
KR: Something else it seems, entirely, but the perfume?
JP: Roses are my favorite flowers. For me, ‘Portrait of a Lady’ is the most intelligent and delicate scent made from the base of the rose. A permanent love, with a nice sensuality to it.
KR: Which brings us to the last favourite, exotic pole dance.
The favorites is an answer to the question: “Who am I?” A portrait of a lady!
JP: When it comes to moving my body, dancing is where I connect the best with who I am. It’s beautiful. Regular pole dancing is more acrobatic, with a lot of tricks, whilst exotic pole dance is more creative and — speaking for myself — a bit more about sensuality, sexuality. The exotic pole dance really makes me connect with myself.
KR: Last, but not least, are there any connections between the favourites, you think?
JP: Of course, me! I connect them, it’s a self-portrait. The favourites is an answer to the question: “Who am I?” A portrait of a lady!
Julie Poly (Yulia Polyashchenko, born 1986) is an artist primarily working with photography. Poly is based in Munich, but wass living and working in Kyiv, Ukraine until the Russian invasion. She was earlier occupied with raw documentary photography but started to work with fashion in 2013. As a result, Poly’s photos can be found in Vogue, L’Officiel, and Harper’s Bazaar) and international art publications such as Dazed & Confused, i-D, NUMERO, and Jalouse. In 2021, Julie created the erotic art zine Hrishnytsia, where she researches and gathers Ukrainian artists who explore issues of sexuality, self-discovery, gender, and intimacy within their practice. Poly had a solo exhibition — “4:59”(28 January–5 March 2023) — at Fotogalleriet, Oslo.