The Russians – ruffians and drinkers

This year, the red dot: junior prize with its 10,000 euros prize money goes to Dennis Dominguez from Cologne for his book “Stereotype”. This publication deals with prejudices and national stereotypes, a topic that is visually presented in a highly entertaining as well as bold way, as here in the example  of the Russians. 

Says the millionaire’s wife to her husband, who is absorbed in a business magazine, at the breakfast table: “Dmitry, my little bear, what do you want for your birthday?” He grunts back, “The VFB Stuttgart football club.” The Russian oligarchs, who have invested their often dishonourable earned riches in football clubs such as the FC Chelsea, thus further increasing the social injustice in the country, the allegory of the Russian bear and the clear gender roles – this brief scene contains several prejudices against Russians. The only thing missing is the vodka, with which they drown their misery in melancholy and make the Siberian cold bearable. And since money is scarce, many distil their own hard liquor and vodka – with disastrous effects not only on the liver. Cynics say that the Russians are on the verge of extinction, because the men overindulge in alcohol and the often well educated women go abroad due to a lack of suitable partners and, of course, suitable jobs. No wonder that the men with their proud demeanour still have to show their muscles to the world, like their now prime minister did not that long ago. This also fits with the following joke that is being told in the Ukraine. Screams a boy: “Father, father, the devil is in the house!” Replies the father, “Relax, son! That’s still better than the Russians.”

More information about the red dot: junior prize are available here.