This work is part of the project The Hunter, which was presented in 2016 at the Freijo Gallery. Through this project, Laiz addresses a theme that has been mythical in 20th century Russian literature. Dersu Uzala (The Hunter) is the title of the book written by Vladimir Arseniev, in which he narrates his travels in Eastern Russia. The guide who leads them through these territories is called Dersu Uzala, a nomadic hunter from the region.

This project takes place on the southeastern border of Russia and reflects the traditions of the Udege people, who have inhabited the Boreal Jungle for hundreds of years.

Because of their close contact with nature, their beliefs are full of references to supernatural forces. Laiz spent four months living with Udegei hunters during the years 2014 and 2015 to get to know their icy surroundings and their lifestyle. He explored through photography, video and audio the relationship of these hunters with the tiger and the events that have brought both to the brink of extinction. The animalist and shamanic beliefs of this people are the starting point to analyze and document the impact that nature causes in the life of the hunting community and in the culture of the Udegei.

You can find more information about Álvaro Laiz here