Crofts' photographs depict hopelessness, expectation and a yearning for some undefined and unattainable utopian future. Set against a backdrop of undefined landscapes, friendship, chance and waiting for the first glimpse of a new life on the horizon play an important role in his work.
The land of endless expectations
Simon Crofts appears to want to soak up everything about Russian life and to plumb the depths of its culture. The images in ‘The horizon is calling...' were taken during his many trips to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, an area that always seems to be waiting in anticipation of things to come. The photographs illustrate the history and mutual relationships between people: hopeful, resigned or disappointed about undefined expectations that never become reality. Occasionally, the yearning is portrayed explicitly, such as when children are posing on a bed against a wall bearing a life-size drawing of a television. Crofts depicts a proud woman with her four children in a room jam-packed with a jumble of beds, a piano and a computer, and a Lost Kingdom computer game under a sofa bed. At the same time, her pride seems out of tune with the realisation that things always seem to turn out differently than expected.
To Moscow by bike
Even from being a very young child, Simon Crofts devoured Russian music and literature. He used the time he spent commuting to work and college on the London Underground learning Russian. The collapse of the Soviet Union was an important time for him, and in 1993 he decided to cycle to Moscow from Hamburg, taking with him little more than the clothes on his back. As he cycled, he discovered the country and became acquainted with its people. Crofts ended up staying there for seven years, working as a lawyer during the first privatisations. The transformation process was rapid and had a visible effect on society. It was this that motivated Simon Crofts to create a photographic record of the daily lives of Russia's people during a historic period of upheaval.
About your visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Skip listThe Kunsthal is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. The Kunsthal Café opens half an hour earlier, so you can visit from 9:30 hrs until half an hour after closing time. Check the current opening hours.
Yes, you need to book a ticket with a start time in advance. This also applies if you have a Museum card, Rotterdam pass, or VriendenLoterij VIP Card. This way, you are guaranteed admission and we can ensure that your visit is as pleasant as possible. Book your start time.
Yes, with an online ticket, you can visit all the exhibitions that are on display on the date of your visit. You can also stay as long as you like. You are welcome at the Kunsthal from your designated start time until closing time. Book your start time.
In de Kunsthal Rotterdam zijn altijd meerdere wisselende en contrastrijke tentoonstellingen tegelijk te zien. Een volledig overzicht van alle actuele tentoonstellingen vind je op de tentoonstellingspagina.