Mary Gelman

M + T

This is an intimate story about the love of an elderly couple with Down syndrome in the unique social village of Svetlana, which is home to people with various mental and physical disorders, as well as their mentors and volunteers. It is not an asylum or a clinic. Every resident is valued as a person, and everyone works for the common good. Minya and Tatyana met each other in this village and fell in love in 2015. They are over 50 years old. I witnessed this couple get to know each other and can see how happy they have been ever since.

They take care of each other, spend their free time together, and worry about each other’s health. They cherish every minute of their time together. Love for them is not something ordinary, but a rare stroke of luck. Minya and Tatyana work as bakers, and also help with cooking and cleaning. They also act in plays and paint. Many believe that people with Down syndrome are incapable of love, but it is not true. Love knows no bounds. Tatyana died this year because of COVID.

Tatyana is the most independent person with Down syndrome living in Svetlana. She took care of her mother and planned her funeral, and can handle life’s most difficult tasks

Tanya consoles Minya as he recalls the death of his mother

Minya and Tanya after Bible study. Svetlana residents get dressed up and spend time together discussing a chapter from the Bible, and sharing their impressions of the week

Tanya washes the dishes after baking bread together with other residents of Svetlana

Tanya and Minya dance at a birthday party

Minya hugs Natasha, one of his best friends. The couple call her their sister

They speak about love every day. They wear rings and call each other husband and wife. They dream about having a wedding

Minya and Tanya’s hands

Play rehears
Minya as the King and Tanya as the Rose during a rehearsal of the play The Little Prince

Chapel
Each Sunday, Svetlana residents go for a walk and often visit this chapel

Tanya and Minya before bed

Minya and Tanya share a room hapel

Minya has lived in Svetlana for almost 20 years.

His beloved mother recently passed away. He likes to work and calls himself the director of the village

Minya and Tatyana

Minya and Tatyana in a moment of rest

Minya and Tatyana

Tanya and bed linen is on the street in the village “Svetlana”

Shelves with photographs and religious images in the home of Minya and Tanya

Tanya and Minya were making a bread in a bakery

The greenhouse with plants at night in the village

San Pietroburgo, Federazione Russa

www.marygelman.com

Mary Gelman is a VII Photo Agency Member photographer based in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

In 2016 she graduated School of Modern Photography Docdocdoc (Saint Petersburg) and was a participant in various international and local workshops. She works as a photojournalist and teacher. The most important part of her professional life is personal projects. She combines in the projects a strong personal approach with documentary and conceptual practices. Mary focuses on a study of issues of gender and body, boundary and identity, discrimination, and the human relationship with the environment.

Mary has been a winner of different competitions. She’s the recipient of the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, Pictures of the Year, Portraits – Hellerau Photography Award, Istanbul Photo Awards, Andrei Stenin International Photo Contest. She works for The New York Times, The Washington Post, UNICEF, and many others.