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T H I R D E Y E

Bling Dynasty and NewOligarchy

The ambitious socioeconomic agendas of the People’s Republic of China and the USSR once stood in stark contrast to the American Dream, with its capitalist engine. In both countries, the long- oppressed citizens ousted autocratic rulers in favor of enforced collectivism designed to cleanse their societies of class privilege. In recent decades, though, communism has bowed to more open markets and the wealth incentives they offer. Greenfield arrived in China in 2000, eight years after “paramount leader” Deng Xiaoping ushered in sweeping economic reforms summed up by his blessing: “Let some people get rich first.” His vision came to fruition on a scale only the world’s most populous nation could realize, raising a half-billion people out of poverty, according to the World Bank, and, by some estimates, minting forty thousand new millionaires in 2013 alone. Greenfield entered a scene akin to a gold rush, as a new elite struggled to establish its prerogatives with showy expressions of wealth: a replicaWhite House complete with a backyard Mount Rushmore; homes decorated entirely in Versace; a solid-gold toilet; and a mania for exclusive pursuits, such as polo and yachting. China’s one-child policy, meanwhile, has created a breed of “little emperors,” the overindulged offspring of the newly affluent Chinese, who get real race cars for their birthdays and whose lives stand as an affront to the industrious, selfless ethos of the Communist state. Today China’s rich are shifting their sights to theWest, educating their children in prestigious American universities and investing in property beyond the reach of the Communist Party. While China has tacticallymanaged its fairy-tale economic growth, Russia plunged intoWildWest capitalismwith the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early nineties. During a chaotic transition from communism, a new class of oligarchs was born. Greenfield explored the culture of Russia’s new elite, as it began to seek the trappings of the country’s prerevolutionary aristocracy. In the world they inhabit, socialites, fashion designers, musicians, actors, and models mix onlywith each other in a tireless round of parties with nearly identical guest lists. There’s even a debutante ball— corporate sponsored, of course—staged in the same hall where the Tolstoy-era nobility held their own balls in order to make advantageous matches for their daughters. For this new high soci- ety, a romanticized Czarist Russia is now in vogue—and for sale. → Agate hides mansions in the Rublyovka district of Moscow, sometimes called “the Beverly Hills of Russia,” 2012. Real-estate prices in the area are among the highest in the world. → Agate hides mansions in the Rublyovka district of Moscow, s metimes called “the Beverly Hills of Russia,” 2012. Real-estate prices in the area are among the highest in the world.

Ilona I grew up in Riga, in Latvia, living in a small apartment. I didn’t want to live in a big house. It’s too much space to take care of. You have to have a lot of housekeepers, and I don’t like that—it doesn’t feel cozy. You feel like

mine was at their age. When I was growing up, I could go play outside with my neighbors. It was safe. But here, you live with fences around everything for security. People have huge and, some of them, ugly fences. The fences are part of the mentality here. Moscow is now quite dangerous. You can’t allowyour kids to go out alone. We do play dat s. I have a French tutor and an English tutor for my children. I wan to give my kids a go d education. They have to know English p rfectly. And I chose French, too, because I think it’s quite difficult, and you need to learn it when you’re young. I alsowant to teach themChinese, because I think it’s important for the future. People are starting to look for traditions here. Theywant their kids to learn horseback riding and good manners. It’s import nt. I used to want to h ve h ge diamonds and a crocodile bag, but now I think it’s bad taste to wear those things. It’s better to give some money to help people. If you go one hundred kilometers outside of Moscow, you can see people who don’t have anymoney for winter clothes. I see how people live, and I compare what I have and that they don’t have anything. When you don’t have anything, I think most people are a little bit selfish. They just want things for themselves. Onlywhen they have everything do they start to think about other people. It was safe. But here, you live with fences around everything for security. People have huge and, some of them, ugly f c s. The fences are part of the m n ality here. Moscow is now quite dangerous. You can’t allowyour kids to go out alone. We do play dates. I have a French tutor and a English tutor for my children. I want to gi my kids a good education. They have to know English perf ctly. And I chose Fr nch, too, because I think it’s quit difficult, and you n ed to learn it when you’re young. I alsowant t teach themChinese, because I think it’s important for t future. People are starting o l ok for traditions here. Theywant th ir kids to learn horseback riding and good manners. It’s imp rta t. I used to want to have h ge diamonds and a cro odile bag, but now I think i ’s bad taste to we r those hings. It’s better to give some money to help people. If you go one hundr d kilometers utside of Moscow, you can see people who don’t have anymoney for winter cloth s. I see how people live, and I compare what I have nd that they d ’t have ything. When you don’t have a ything, I think mos people are a little bit selfish. They just want things f r thems ves. Onlywhen they ave everything do they start to think about other people. mine was at their age. When I was growing up, I could go play outside with my neighbors.

WEAVING TOGETHER STORIES ABOUT AFFLUENCE, BEAUTY, BODY IMAGE, COMPETITION, CORRUPTION, FANTASY, AND EXCESS, GENERATION WEALTH QUESTIONS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN VALUE AND COMMODITY IN A GLOBALIZED CONSUMERIST CULTURE. LAUREN GREENFIELD’S INVESTIGATION OF WEALTH OBSESSION WILL BE ON EXHIBIT AT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM, 250 BOWERY, NEW YORK, NY THROUGH JANUARY 7, 2018. A COMPANION MONOGRAPH LAUREN GREENFIELD: GENERATION WEALTH PUBLISHED BY PHAIDON, OFFERS AN EXTRAORDINARY VISUAL RECORD OF RAMPANT MATERIALISM AND A FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FILM, GENERATION WEALTH, IS NEARING COMPLETION AND WILL BE DISTRIBUTED BY AMAZON STUDIOS. LAUREN GREENFIELD IS AN EMMY AWARD®–WINNING DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER AND PHOTOGRAPHER WHO IS CONSIDERED A PREEMINENT CHRONICLER OF CONSUMERISM, YOUTH CULTURE, AND GENDER IDENTITY ( FAST FORWARD, GIRL CULTURE, AND THIN ). HER DOCUMENTARY FILM, THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, WON HER THE BEST DIRECTOR AWARD AT SUNDANCE IN 2012 AND NUMEROUS OTHER BEST DIRECTOR AWARDS. GREENFIELD’S PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE BEEN WIDELY PUBLISHED, EXHIBITED, AND COLLECTED BY MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD. HER #LIKEAGIRL VIDEO WAS SEEN BY 214 MILLION GLOBAL VIEWERS AND GARNERED MORE THAN 100 AWARDS. EXCERPT FROM LAUREN GREENFIELD: GENERATION WEALTH  (PHAIDON 2017). you are in a hotel, because there are so many people walking around. Nevertheless, we live here, because my husband likes living in a big house. My husband is in the shipping container business. He works six days a week, twelve hours per day. He likes his work. People in Moscowwork a lot, because theywant to earn the money. When my husband was born in the Soviet Union, everybody had the same small apartments. They didn’t have the possibility of a big house. Sowhen some businessmen began to make a fortune, they started to build huge houses like this one. If you compare the European culture and Russian culture, you can see there is a differ- ence. The people in Switzerland, for example, with old money from one hundred years ago, don’t spend it so easily. They keep it safe. But in Russia, it was very difficult to earn money before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. So today in Moscow, when you make money, you must have a big house, a young and beau- tiful wife with huge diamonds and a crocodile Birkin bag, big expensive cars—not one, but a few—private jets, a yacht. It’s these things that tell other people that you are successful. My children’s lives are completely different than c ntainer business. He works six days a week, twelve hours per day. He li s his work. Pe ple in Moscowwork a lot, because th ywant to earn the money. When my husband was born in the Soviet U ion, everybody had the same small apartm nts. They didn’t have the possibility of Sowhen some businessmen began to make a fortune, they tarted to build huge house like this on . If you compare the Europ an culture and Russian culture, you can see there is diffe - ence. Th people in Switzerland, for exa ple, with old money from one hundred years ago, don’t spend it so easily. They keep it saf . But in Russia, it was ve y difficult to earn m ney before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. So today in Moscow, when you make money, you must have a big house, a young an b au- tiful wife with huge diamonds and a crocodil Birkin bag, big expensiv cars—not one, but a few— rivate jets, a yac t. It’s these things that tell other people that you are successful. My child en’s live are complet ly different than GENERAT I ON WEALTH B Y L AUR E N GR E E N F I E L D Ilona I grew up in Riga, in Latvia, living in a small apartment. I didn’t want to live in a big house. It’s too much space to take care of. You have to have a lot of housekeepers, and I don’t like that—it doesn’t feel cozy. You feel like you are in a hotel, because there are so many people walking around. Nevertheless, we live here, b ca se my husband likes living in big house. My husband is in the shipping

Maya, 6, at Pradar: The Grand International Equestrian Club, Moscow, 2012. Founded in 2000 in a Czarist-era building in central Moscow, the club caters to a new Russian elite eager to emulate aristocratic British customs. Vivi, 19, inside the Pengyuan Equestrian Club, an exclusive club devoted to a sport that has aristocratic associations among China’s elite, Beijing, 2014. → Ilona, 31, th Frank Llo dWright– inspired home she shares with her shipping-magnate husband and two children, Moscow, 2012. ← Ilona at home with her daughter, Michelle, 4, Moscow, 2012. Ilona’s sweater was produced for her in a custom color by her friendAndrey Artyomov, whoseWalk of Shame fashion line is popular among the wives of oligarchs. → Ilon , 31 in the Fr nk LloydWright– i spired home she sh res with her shipping-magnate husband and two children, Moscow, 2012.

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← Ilona at home with her daughter,

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