They are just like us... But they have just one eye, mostly plastic and toy. You can meet them in every corner of our planet, strictly filmivorous. There are several types of them: Holga Sapiens, LC-A Sapiens, LUBI Sapiens and others. Scientists are not sure yet about the influence of that beings on the society, that's why we are presenting to your attention little research of some proofs of existing of Lomo Sapiens. While art critics are still deciding if they are interested in this issue, let's face it — Lomo people exist. Their credo: "Don't think, just shoot!", nevertheless they proved their right to be considered to a separate subspecies of wise man. It's just their brains are specific and vignetted.
Besides they displayed a superb collection of images, it also shows the online and offline world as a dynamic duo. To retrieve all the lomo shots from the "sapiens" from Japan to southern Argentina could be a logistic mayhem. But don't be fooled, analog has found it's way to the digital world in vast quentities. The organisation used the power of platforms like Flickr as a distribution tool. And in this case the sapiens allready use Flickr as their secret headquarters and hang out. The beauty off it all is that anyone who takes shots with a lomo had the chance to be a part of the exposition...for lomosapiens by lomosapiens (and everybody else who appreciates photography).
We got in touch with Mariczka Ruban, one of the organizers of the international Lomo exhibition the 10th of July in Municipal Gallery of Kharkiv (Ukraine). With the help of a small group and an enthousiastic gallery owner the organisation proved it was capable to setup a stunning exhibition: Lomosapiens (the international Lomo exhibition).
The diversity of plastic
The point was to show people how different common people shoot (so to say) "our" cameras all over the world.
To see how this plastic lens see the world and the people of the world. Actually when we were designing the exhibition it was pretty amazing to see all that good stuff which you saw before on the screen printed and signed. People, places, dogs, buildings, streets, pets and so on it looked so different and the similar at the same time. If you know about the quantity of participants and coutries and continents that amazes a lot. As we found out that's why lomography appeared actually. It lives like lomo-walls. When it is not the only one picture is valuable the hole quantity of them matters. In our case we had both, every single picture was a jewell and together they also looked splendid and marvelous in some other way.
The participatory community
As one of the organized I can say it was pretty very hard. Cause there are so many people to send a feedbacks to and invite their pictures and make clear all issues while I wasn't sure about them myself. But i'm very grateful to all those kind 296 people who trusted us, believed in us and send us their lomo shots. And my speech on the exhibition's opening was only 3 sentences telling about my appreciation of all participants efforts and kindness. Without them it won't happen.
Media attention
The good thing is that "Lomo Sapiens" was very loud and popular project especially for summer. There were close to 15 different medias including 5 local and 1 whole ukrainian tv channels. Ctitzents of Kharkiv now know about this way of photography and maybe will join this beautiful movement, cause a lot of our people have that cameras forgotten on their parent's boxes from soviet times....
We will keep you updated when the next exposition will be. A special thanks to Mariczka Ruban & organisation for the great help and the contributors from the Flickr Vintage Analogue group for the image material. and more credits
Poster and organization: Tania Borzunova
Title: Riccardo FIsichella
Idea and organization: Mariczka Ruban
