So what do you know about Russia? Moscow is the capital. They drink vodka. They have bears. This is the essence of how we consume Russia. It’s a neat little package to help us label and file it. In a consumerist world, we digest whole cultures by the stories and images shown us. We take these materials and condense it down to a few basic elements. We even do that for our own culture, because it makes it easier. This tells us more about ourselves then it does another culture or place. So to really understand another culture, we have to see how and what they consume. This exhibition shows works commissioned by various Russian clients and some personal work. It gives a view of Russians from the inside. It was made for Russian consumption.

Paul Eng was born and raised in Chinatown, New York. At an early age, he learned the craft of photography from a neighborhood mentor. With New York City as the backdrop of his development, sophistication and street education came hand in hand. This melding of the two opposites shows it’s influence in his work, full of cynicism yet elegant.

Originally trained as an architect, he worked as an architectural designer, then shifted his focus to music. He performed and recorded with various bands in New York and is credited on several records. Further creative pursuits led him to design and advertising, where he worked for over 10 years. These experiences have given him a well rounded vision in which he now creates photographs grounded in higher thought and emotions.

Three years ago, Paul had an opportunity to visit Moscow and was electrified by the city. Moscow reminded him of New York back in the days of his youth. It’s a city that has the zesty, amateurish, DIY mentality from a New York long past. Since then, he has lived full time there, working as a freelance photographer. He shoots for various magazines and advertising agencies. His experiences in Moscow is a continuation of his life and career in the creative field which is ever evolving.