Anatoly Rasskazov
Encyclopedia
Anatoly Rasskazov was a photographer and artist
who was stationed at the Chernobyl nuclear power station
. He was the first person to photograph the Chernobyl disaster
.
, he was given permission by authorities who wanted to determine what had occurred to photograph the scene from a helicopter. He was accompanied by two soldiers and two civilians from Atomenergo Moscow Advanced Training Institute. Rasskazov also took photos from the ground, shooting two rolls of film
in total. The first roll of film was burnt out by the radiation. The second was only slightly damaged by the radiation. He also documented the building of the sarcophagus
around the reactor. Most of his photos were never published. The ones that were chosen for reproduction were carefully chosen and/or edited to downplay the damage. Years later, they were published in a book without accreditation.
He suffered from burns and vomiting as early as after the first night and has had unhealed radiation burn
s on his forehead for the past twenty years. His continued work around the reactor during the clean-up contributed further to his radiation poisoning
, which he has blamed for his "ruined" health, which has included "blood diseases and cancer
. Rasskazov died in 2010, aged 66, after suffering for years from cancer and blood diseases that he blamed on the radiation."
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who was stationed at the Chernobyl nuclear power station
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant or Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned nuclear power station near the city of Pripyat, Ukraine, northwest of the city of Chernobyl, from the Ukraine–Belarus border, and about north of Kiev. Reactor 4 was the site of the Chernobyl disaster in...
. He was the first person to photograph the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
.
Documentation of Chernobyl disaster
On April 27, 1986, the day after the meltdownNuclear meltdown
Nuclear meltdown is an informal term for a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. The term is not officially defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency or by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission...
, he was given permission by authorities who wanted to determine what had occurred to photograph the scene from a helicopter. He was accompanied by two soldiers and two civilians from Atomenergo Moscow Advanced Training Institute. Rasskazov also took photos from the ground, shooting two rolls of film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
in total. The first roll of film was burnt out by the radiation. The second was only slightly damaged by the radiation. He also documented the building of the sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
around the reactor. Most of his photos were never published. The ones that were chosen for reproduction were carefully chosen and/or edited to downplay the damage. Years later, they were published in a book without accreditation.
He suffered from burns and vomiting as early as after the first night and has had unhealed radiation burn
Radiation burn
A radiation burn is damage to the skin or other biological tissue caused by exposure to radio frequency energy or ionizing radiation.The most common type of radiation burn is a sunburn caused by UV radiation. High exposure to X-rays during diagnostic medical imaging or radiotherapy can also result...
s on his forehead for the past twenty years. His continued work around the reactor during the clean-up contributed further to his radiation poisoning
Radiation poisoning
Acute radiation syndrome also known as radiation poisoning, radiation sickness or radiation toxicity, is a constellation of health effects which occur within several months of exposure to high amounts of ionizing radiation...
, which he has blamed for his "ruined" health, which has included "blood diseases and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Rasskazov died in 2010, aged 66, after suffering for years from cancer and blood diseases that he blamed on the radiation."