THE BLACK NIGHT CALLS MY NAME

BY ANNA GUSEVA

I was born in Russia in 1994. It was a turbulent period after the collapse of the USSR, known as the "wild nineties." Though I was a child, the chaos of that decade left a deep imprint on me.

I vividly recall stepping over bodies of drug addicts sprawled in stairwells, the crunch of discarded syringes underfoot, my grandma’s scary tales about rapists, sectarian symbols on neighbor’s windows. Crime shows ran nonstop on TV, and every unexpected doorbell sent me hiding, as if it foretold the dangers the screen depicted.

Paranoia, like a low and constant hum, shaped both my perception of the world and, inevitably, myself. But what if, in fearing aggressors so obsessively, I unwittingly absorbed their traits? As I confront my blind spots, I dread discovering a monster born of that era lurking within me.

Trying to identify areas of uncertainty within myself, I come across the universal mechanism of unpredictability: the external environment influences us in ways that are impossible to foresee.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Anna Guseva is a visual artist, born in Russia and based in France. Her practice explores the influence of the external environment on the individual. Anna often turns to performative practices, examining how the fragile human body experiences the brutality of the outside world pressures.

In 2024, Anna was shortlisted for the PhMuseum Women Photographers Grant, GUP Fresh Eye, and the Belfast Photo Festival. Her works have been exhibited at the Singapore Photo Festival and the Festival OFF Arles.

Website
https://anna-guseva.com

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/annagsv/