Paparazzi Ethnography

I read a fabulously sentimental article in The New York Times about celebrated pianist, Harvey Van Cliburn’s return to Moscow as Honorary Juror to the International Tchaikovsky Competition, which he won in 1958 during the Cold War, at a time when then Premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, was exploring the idea of peaceful coexistence with the United States. The article describes the outpouring of love still felt for Van Cliburn by Russians. Sitting in a coffee shop, reading the article, rubbing my eyes now filled with emotion, I suddenly had a Eureka Moment and breathed aloud, “Wait a spot – I know that place!”

Hotel Moscow

Right there, in that exact location, where Van Cliburn is posing for international photographers — I happened to have taken a photo of Alexandra Karamanova, my fellow photographist and travelry specialist on the first ever Paparazzi Ethnographic Tour last year of Russia — Moscow.

The View

Admittedly, Alex is no Van Cliburn. What I mean is that I do not think, in fact, that she even plays the piano. Nevertheless, the opportunity allows us to think about and reflect upon for a moment, just what Van Cliburn actually saw when standing on that parapet, having his photo taken by the international press. Just what were the material surroundings determining his consciousness as he smiled for the camera?

Let us take a tour!

First of all, Van Cliburn had to get up to the roof-top, and at 76 years old, he probably did not take the stairs. That means, he took the elevator. In which case, if he does not suffer from vertigo, he would have noticed the atrium he was passing through, and the cleanliness of the windows.

The Elevator Scene

He may have been accompanied by a few select paparazzi taking photos of his reaction to this Moscow hotspot, in the way Alex has staged this photo, in anticipation of such a moment, when we would notice someone in the news having their photo taken in this building.

Van Cliburn probably went up there for lunch, choosing a seat near where the photo was taken, and perusing through the menu in a nonchalant manner, just as Alex has done so here in this image — in a staged effort of anticipation about what future stars could be doing in this very location. Van Cliburn cuts a trim figure, so he probably doesn’t eat much. Probably, he has a sweet tooth, and ordered ice cream. It is actually quite warm in Moscow these days, so a little frozen confection soothes the nerves.

The Menu

Actually. Did I mention that this is the location of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, on Tverskaya Street 3-5, situated just 150 meters from Red Square, with “panoramic views from its rooftop across to the Kremlin, which is 400 meters away”?

In addition to international stars like Van Cliburn, the Ritz-Carlton is also a watering hole for observing the “Celebrity Lifestyles of the Carbon Rich and Not-So-Famous” (and, of course, their self-appointed paparazzi ethnographers!).

Well. Now you know the location. So you can do your own google search of images for the rest of the story. But I should mention, in final note, that from this particular location, in addition to the Kremlin, you can spot the Headquarters of various oil and gas companies in Moscow, including the Trade Tower in which we visited then President Bengt Hansen of Statoil, Moscow.

Statoil Boardroom, Moscow