Preservation of private memory in the Soviet Union: photographic archive of the cinematographer Leonid Burlaka

Abstract

In March 2017, a photographic archive of Leonid Burlaka, a Ukrainian cinematographer renowned in the Soviet Union, was accidentally discovered in Odessa (Ukraine). This finding immediately posed multiple questions. A part of the archive was in a very poor condition, and the preservation method was very different from the one commonly used by Leonid Burlaka. A part of films was gravely damaged because of adverse conditions, some of them were torn and preserved only partially. During the digitalization of films, it was established that the archive dates back to 1964 and comprises several series: vernacular photography illustrating everyday life of the Soviet student community, photographic experiments with form, and documentation of the filming process. Even though private archives might seem inappropriate amidst the current flow of information, private memory still remains a historical myth.