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Kievsky Rynok, Electronics Market
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Moscow Panorama

Kievsky Rynok, Electronics Market

Photographer: Bill Swersey
There are dozens of markets in Moscow, but few are as chaotic as the one adjacent to the Kiev Railway station. The area of several football fields, Kievsky Market is divided into sections selling produce, meat, clothing and my favorite, tools and hardware. These few rows are crammed with dozens of small kiosks offering everything from chain saws and spare parts for toilets to nuts, bolts and electrical fixtures. At first glance these privately managed kiosks seem to be little more than miniature junk shops, their counter tops covered with odds and ends, all manner of wares hung from pieces of string or wire. Look closely, though, and it becomes apparent that each of these "shops" actually has a specialty.

When I asked his name, the proprietor with the fur hat gave a sly grin and said, "Ivanov, Pavel Ivanov" -- which is sort of like an American saying his name is John Smith. I smiled and wrote it down, since very often in my experience photographing Russians I know I have been given a made-up name. Even as the cold war fades away, some old habits die hard. Especially cautious are small business people, particularly those in retail, who may feel they have something to lose, or taxes or protection money to pay, if someone sees them in a photo. Maybe it was his real name, but I didn't push too hard since he was willing to put up with the inconvenience of my tripod in the middle of his kiosk on a busy Sunday afternoon. Surprisingly, few customers seemed to notice me -- they were too busy browsing through the fixtures and light switches on display. Pavel and his colleague, Irina Golenetz, took it all in stride, smoking cigarettes, cracking jokes and teasing each other as I waited for an interesting assembly of shoppers to arrange themselves before my camera.


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