Russian's border security zone in Mezen, few km from Polar Circle. Inhabitants, who base their own survival on hunting and fishing, are used to build daily life objects- mostly sledges and boats called “raketa”- with the collected fragments of space rockets, making illegal business of the internal metal components. With tacit permission of Russian government, recovery operations take place during the winter, in which the river beds freeze and makes roads more easily passable.
A toxic chemical compound, the unsimmetrical dimethylhydrazine, is used as a propellant.There are many cases of cancer.
Raffaele Petralla is a documentary photographer who graduated from the Scuola Romana di Fotografia in 2007.
His personal projects are mostly focused on social and enviromental issues.
He is a member of Prospekt Photographers agency.
His personal works and assignments have been published on the main media worldwide including: New York Times, National Geographic U.S.A., GEO, Internazionale, L’Espresso, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, D Repubblica settimanale, Days Japan, Terra Mater, La Repubblica, De Morgen, VICE to name a few.
Awards In recent years Petralla has received many awards and nominees including: PDN storytellers first prize, Burn Emerging Fund, first prize Premio Fotografia Etica, Moscow Photo Awards third prize, Organ Vida, Siena International Photography Awards, Lugano Photo Days, Verzasca Foto Festival, Fotoleggendo, first prize Premio Voglino, Prix ANI, Intarget Photolux award, winner of Portfolio Italia 2019.
