Following the extreme popularity of his previous project, Soviet Bus Stops, photographer Christopher Herwig has made a return with Soviet Metro Stations published on FUEL. This series is the product of Herwig’s subterranean expedition across Russia. Along the journey, Christopher photographed the stations of each metro network of the former USSR.
Extensive use of marble, some serious statement chandeliers and brutal futuristic minimalist glory is on offer throughout the project. Alongside general pictures of each of the Soviet metro stations, Herwig picks out individual elements that, together, embody the Soviet experience. Seemingly endless escalators, bold signage, delicate mosaics and relief sculptures come together to communicate a vivid map of the Soviet metro system.
The stations themselves also stand as monuments to the workers that built them. The decorative sculptures and mosaics found in the stations usually depict the ideal Soviet man and woman holding tools. Christopher Herwig’s Soviet Metro Stations project explores the idea that these are much more than stations, they’re totems of a society and its people.
The stations themselves also stand as monuments to the workers that built them. The decorative sculptures and mosaics found in the stations usually depict the ideal Soviet man and woman holding tools. Christopher Herwig’s Soviet Metro Stations project explores the idea that these are much more than stations, they’re totems of a society and its people.
Find out more about Christopher Herwig's work.
Catch up on Herwig's previous project before delving into the world of Soviet metro stations, read about Soviet Bus Stops.
