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Some artists don't live long enough to experience the recognition they get. Masha Ivashintsova was one of them. This Russian artist and theater critic had been heavily engaged in the Leningrad (now, Saint Petersburg) poetic and photography underground movement of the 1960−80s. Masha loved photography art as it always took a major role in her mysterious and painful life. However, she always kept her black and white photos hidden in her attic, never showing them even to her family. Until now.

Recently, her daughter Asya Ivashintsova-Melkumyan was going through her stuff and found a stunning collection of more than 30,000 vintage photos. After deciding to develop these photos, Asya was shocked to discover how well these interesting photos portrayed her mother’s life and the essence of everyday life in Russia.

“Of course, I knew that my mother was taking pictures all along. What was striking is that she never shared her beautiful photos with anyone, not even her family.” - Asya said of her mother's work. “She hoarded her photo-films in the attic and rarely developed them, so nobody was ever able to appreciate the fruits of her passion. Those same films remained in the attic of our house in Pushkin, Saint Petersburg, where she originally kept them, after her death in 2000.”

The darker period of Masha’s life took place in a USSR mental hospital. There, she was gradually broken by being forced to take drugs. The Soviet Russian Regime was aiming to 'standardize' people, to make them live by the Communist rules. This dehumanizing control system had a huge impact on Masha. It is also evident in her work. As her daughter says, "Masha had a difficult relationship with communism. She was eventually bulldozed by the party and committed to a mental hospital against her will for her «social sponging» as she could never assimilate to the all-encompassing, shouting world of socialist excitement."

Some people have already called Masha the 'Russian Vivian Maier.' Scroll down to check these stunning old photos and let us know if you agree with the nickname.

More info: mashaivashintsova.com (h/t demilked)

Meet, Masha Ivashintsova (1942−2000), a woman who was hiding about 30,000 photos she took in the USSR

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#3

A Portrait Photo Of Asya In 1978

A Portrait Photo Of Asya In 1978

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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#5

Asya And Her Dog Marta, Leningrad, USSR, 1980

Asya And Her Dog Marta, Leningrad, USSR, 1980

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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kathryn stretton
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry. I am upvoting every single photo on this thread. Can't help it. The STORY !!!! Sorry for shouting.

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#7

A Ruined Statue Of Stalin In Leningrad, USSR, 1978

A Ruined Statue Of Stalin In Leningrad, USSR, 1978

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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Bored Fox
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here in Finland we have a joke that someone should bring all the useless Lenin statues from Russia to Finland because he really looked like one of our beloved comedians, Spede Pasanen. But we don't need the Stalin statues because he does not look like any of our comedians. :)

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#9

Melvar Melkumyan With His And Mahsa’s Only Daughter, Asya, Moscow, USSR, 1976

Melvar Melkumyan With His And Mahsa’s Only Daughter, Asya, Moscow, USSR, 1976

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#10

Linguist Melvar Melkumyan, Husband And Father, Leningrad, USSR, 1976

Linguist Melvar Melkumyan, Husband And Father, Leningrad, USSR, 1976

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#11

Leningrad, USSR, 1975

Leningrad, USSR, 1975

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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P Piorecki
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I didn't know it any better, I would have thought this was St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Interesting...

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#12

The Banks Of The Neva River In Leningrad, 1979

The Banks Of The Neva River In Leningrad, 1979

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#13

Street Portrait In St. Petersburg, 1976

Street Portrait In St. Petersburg, 1976

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#14

Melvar Melkumyan, Moscow, USSR, 1983

Melvar Melkumyan, Moscow, USSR, 1983

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#15

A Cosmonaut-Themed Playground In Leningrad

A Cosmonaut-Themed Playground In Leningrad

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#16

Orehovo, USSR, 1976

Orehovo, USSR, 1976

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Apollo
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know if this is extremely cute or straight out of a horror movie.

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#19

Leningrad, USSR, 1976

Leningrad, USSR, 1976

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#20

Leningrad,USSR, 1975

Leningrad,USSR, 1975

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Zori the degu
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That building immediately reminded me of count Olaf's castle-like house. Pandas who have read "A series of unfortunate events" can relate.

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#27

Leningrad, USSR, 1976

Leningrad, USSR, 1976

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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Frank Muellersman
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He is carrying a child. You can see it's foot by the top corner of the bag. But it does look like he is hugging someone. LOL

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#28

Masha Ivashintsova With Her Lover, Photographer Boris Smelov, Leningrad, USSR, 1974

Masha Ivashintsova With Her Lover, Photographer Boris Smelov, Leningrad, USSR, 1974

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#29

Toy Store “Detsky Mir”, Dzerzhinsky Square, Moscow, USSR, 1983

Toy Store “Detsky Mir”, Dzerzhinsky Square, Moscow, USSR, 1983

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#33

Masha’s Lover Viktor Krivulin, Novolukoml, Byelorussian Ssr, 1979

Masha’s Lover Viktor Krivulin, Novolukoml, Byelorussian Ssr, 1979

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#35

Moscow,USSR, 1978

Moscow,USSR, 1978

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Lotta Roos
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is Gum, a big departement store. When I was there they had purple and pink night gowns. They also sold fish in big ice blocks, you would buy a piece of the block and hope you would get good parts of fish. We as foreigners could go to special shops and pay with forreign currency.

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#36

Orehovo, USSR, 1976

Orehovo, USSR, 1976

Masha Ivashintsova Report

#39

Portrait Of A Family Friend In 1974

Portrait Of A Family Friend In 1974

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Zori the degu
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I noticed the other person in the shadow just now and nearly freaked out. Also, I've been in a similar room but the problem is that I can't remember where it could've been. I'm not sure if it had actually happened or my mind made it up. But every time I see a picture of a room with similar design, I remember being in an identical one, simply lying on a bed and starring at the ceiling. And that's one of those moments when I really start wondering if rebirth is really a thing.

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#40

Leningrad, USSR, 1975

Leningrad, USSR, 1975

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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#42

Leningrad,USSR, 1970

Leningrad,USSR, 1970

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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DancingToMyself
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So they are completely relaxed, sitting around like it's a spring time. And temperature is probably -15°C.

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#44

Moscow, USSR, 1988

Moscow, USSR, 1988

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Zori the degu
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Drawing portraits. Price by bargain"(left sign), "10 minutes give you eternity"(highest sign), "For 10-15 minutes I'd draw you a portrait"(lower signs, left one) and "Psychological portrait". I just thought some of you who doesn't know the language might like to now what it reads. Not that I know it, it's just that Bulgarian and Russian have some words in common. I found the psychological portrait interesting. Apparently, the term is used only in Russia and some neighbour countries and is drawn in a way that captures the personality of the one drawn on it. Or at least, that's how I understand it, reading from Wikipedia. It's only written in 3-4 languages and I speak none of them.

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#48

Leningrad, USSR, 1978

Leningrad, USSR, 1978

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bpanther
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lovely can and composition... The V between the two buildings points down to the car again !!

#50

Leningrad, USSR, 1974

Leningrad, USSR, 1974

Masha Ivashintsova Report

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Ryan Wilkins
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First image where you can tell the sun is out in the USSR! These pics are all truly amazing.

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