Schwarzenegger is my idol | Serhiy Melnychenko

Serhiy Melnychenko's photo project, created in 2012, is a visual story about a generation that grew up on Hollywood action movies of the 80s and 90s. The main characters are young boys for whom Arnold Schwarzenegger became not just an actor, but a symbol of strength, perseverance, and the ideal of a male physique.

Why is this important?

• Social context: life in a post-Soviet province, where sport becomes the only form of self-affirmation.
• The Cult of Physical Strength: How Hollywood Movie Heroes Influenced Entire Generations of Young Boys.
• A candid, documentary aesthetic that conveys the spirit of the times and the space in which the dreams of this generation were formed.

Who will be interested?

• For those interested in social photography.
• For fans of nostalgic stories about the 90s.
• For anyone who wants to understand how popular culture influences identity and life path choices.

"Schwarzenegger is my idol" is more than just photos about sports. It is a reflection on how images from the screens turn into life guidelines in a reality that does not always correspond to Hollywood dreams.