Once a year, I travel back to Russia to the Republic of Bashkortostan where I visit small villages and document the everyday lives of ordinary people. I always visit Sabantuy, an annual festival that takes place all over the region. It is my favorite place to photograph. I was moved by the beautiful landscapes, kind and warm people, delicious food, and fascinating culture. I was especially struck by the resemblance of clouds to white cotton candy, and this concept immediately became part of my series Cloud Eaters.

I spotted these two kids standing in the middle of a large grassy field and passionately eating the white cotton candy against a backdrop of fluffy clouds, as if they had just pulled those clouds from the sky.

Yermekeevo, Bashkortostan, 2018
From the series "Cloud Eaters".

The photo was published in the "Women Street Photographers" book ( Prestel, 2021)