COGH: Varlam Shalamov extracts + Sergei Kovalev artworks from 1943

[GailXrunning]

As we hit the Kolyma highway, reflecting on the art created in, or out of, the extraordinarily oppressive and ugly conditions...

More writing by Varlam Shalamov, complementing the extracts posted on COGH website. There are also some stunning photos: calvertjournal.com/features...

A collection of lovely paintings and drawings made in 1943 by Sergei Kovalev, one of the interns (while hospitalised following work accident). The full album collection should appear as a scroll at the top of the page, but, if that doesn’t show, it can be recovered by clicking on the artist’s name: wdl.org/en/item/20251/#cont...

[Granspeed Graduate10]

Stunning photos. I am going to read the text tomorrow. I know of old I can’t do gulags before bedtime! But thanks for the links. 👍👏🏼

[GailXrunning in reply to Granspeed]

Yes, that was bad timing on my part.

[Granspeed Graduate10 in reply to GailXrunning]

Probably fine for many folks. And it’s good to have the reference. 😊

[Peter44 Graduate10]

Hi Gail, i'm not commenting on your posts recently, as i havent a clue what there about! Have i missed something 🤷‍♂️

[GailXrunning in reply to Peter44]

Hi Peter, We’re running/walking as a ‘group relay’ team from north-eastern Russia all the way to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa (COGH Ultra Relay challenge - in the pinned posts). These are just of the places we’re passing through: photos, articles, history, etc.

Once signed up to COGH, you just enter your own personal km as and when (daily or whatever) and it all adds to the team’s progress on the route. So far, we’re around 3000km! Still a long way to go, mind.

[linda9389 Graduate10 in reply to Peter44]

You can join the relay by signing up via this post - it's not too late, there's a long way to go yet!!! healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

Again you’ve caught the spirit of a place. The photographs are helping me appreciate the cruel beauty of this remote area. It’s not all grim, grey, cold and horrible. We are seeing untouched nature as well as ugly Soviet towns on our runs. Thank you very much for your research and posts - I really look forward to them!

[GailXrunning in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

I’m so pleased you’ve enjoyed the links. There are some extreme paradoxes to reckon with.

I’m quite fascinated by the ghost towns - some sizeable ones along the road we’re now on. The change of fortune that emptied them of inhabitants and created these modern ruins: really needs some thinking about, and about what they show us can happen to a place. Also reminds me of what happened (for different reasons) to central Detroit.

[Charlies1 Graduate10]

Thanks for posting this. I really liked the stories in the Calvert Journal - it gives you a real sense of what it must have been like. Looking forward to your next posts