A compelling photo series by Aleksey Kondratyev that explores the parallels between Kazakhstan’s nomadic past and its modern life.

Some time ago, Aleksey became fascinated by the subject of Kazakh men fishing beneath the frozen surface of the Ishim River. This interest inspired him to create a photographic series, simply titled Ice Fishers.

Fishermen, presented on the pictures, boldly endure in the temperatures that often reach - 40 degrees in hope to catch the fish. As this area is the second-coldest populated region in the world, after Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, the men must deliberately protect their bodies from the cold. To survive in these extreme conditions, they cover themselves with recycled scraps of plastic. Aleksey tried to explore the aesthetic dimension of the fisher’s improvised coverages. The series also refers to the history of the region and it’s tradition of nomadism.

"The way in which they functioned as inadvertent sculptures,” said Aleksey.