A Russian nature reserve, Utrish is located on a half-island on the Black Sea. Since the 1960s, its lagoons have been a hotspot for nudists and hippies who come to stay over the summer. While the tourists leave as it becomes colder, a handful of people live in the forests and mountains throughout the year: Russian Orthodox hermits, Krishna followers, veterans, families and people who decided to live a life in nature, away from civilization. Many of them perceive ‘Utrish’ to be a sacred place. Nanna Heitmann’s images of the reserve are an ode to the beauty of the place, its inhabitants and subculture, all of which face an uncertain future in the face of the politics and corruption of modern-day Russia.
