Hippodrome
2004
03:57
Since the 7th century BC horse races formed the main part of the Olympics, and the free residents of Ancient Greece enjoyed them. This entertainment spread all over the globe, and then it became rare and isolated, and the demand for it is going down today. This video was filmed at the Central Moscow Hippodrome, the oldest racing course in Europe founded in 1834. The overwhelming majority of its visitors in Russia were old retired persons, whiling away the time for 30 rubles— their entrance fare. The artist wearing a terrible mask intermingles with the visitors of the hippodrome who treat her as a regular in their crowd. The contrast between the spectacle and the viewer is especially conspicuous against the background of flickering images of beautiful, healthy horses. The video is filled with the aesthetics of poverty and general degradation. Filmed in 2004, this video registered the last days of affordable prices.