Photographer Is Spammed by Dozens of Russian Women, Turns Them Into Art

My name is Oksana.
And you have very much liked me.
And I have decided to write to you
that will meet you to get
friendly communications.
I search to myself for the friend
with whom it is possible
to spend time and can and to create
in the future serious
attitudes.

Hi,
i am here sitting in the internet caffe.
Found your email and decided to write.
I am 25 y.o.girl.
I have a picture if you want.
No need to reply here as
this is not may email.
Write me at [email protected]

For My Russian Spam Beauties, Paris-based photographer Dan Hayon repurposes the dozens of junk emails that continue flood his inbox after years of persistent spamming. All of the messages adhere to a precise format, including both a beseeching memo addressed from a faraway young woman and a photograph of said woman. My Russian Spam Beauties, now compiled as a book, features one underexposed, come-hither portrait after the next as paired with its original text.

Spammers can gain access to email addresses in any number of ways; a quick search for “Russian women, spam emails” will bring up dozens of dating website forums on which disgruntled subscribers air their frustrations. Despite one’s personal history— Hayon has been happily married for forty years—it’s nearly impossible to get rid of this kind of email without changing email addresses. Says the artist of his reclamation of the messages, “If you can’t beat them, join them.”

When asked whether or not the spammers were real women looking for love or automated systems geared towards theft, Hayon explains that he never responded to any of the emails and remains in the dark, suggesting that the answer to this question is irrelevant to the work.

Many of the images forwarded to Hayon were of the same size and aesthetic, lending themselves perfectly to the casual and imperfect focus that characterizes many polaroid images. In order to create the illusion of polaroids, he cropped the original images, altered their contrast, and added borders. In addition to imbuing each frame with a quality of immediacy and disposability, the polaroid aesthetic also allows the women to become minor objects of sentiment, like absurd snapshots secreted away and quickly forgotten.

Hello, my name is Dalycia.
Do not ignore me please,
I found your email somewhere and
now decided to write you.
Let me know if you do not mind.
If you want I can send you
some pictures of me.
I am a nice pretty girl.
Don’t reply to this email.
Email me direclty at [email protected]

I would like to have correspondence
with you
Hello!!!!
I am very interesting you, i want to get
to know you better if you not mind,
please answer me and i will tell you
more about myself. I would like to have
correspondence with you on regular e-mail.
Please reply only to my personal e-mail:
[email protected]
I give you the address.
I hope to see today your letter.
Liuba.

Hello!
My name is Natalya! I am 29 years old.
I addressed in agency acquaintances.
When I have specified, how I search for
type of the man. Me have told to approach
in 1 week. When I have again come to agency
of acquaintances, to me have told yours
email adress. I am a teacher and i like
my work very much. I work with children
and Now I have an opportunity to write
to you I am an interesting, beautiful,
kind and single young lady.

Hi, i’m Maria
I want to find my
love, my half and want to marry him.
I am looking for a man who will
fall in love with me and I will fall
in love with him. I have never
been married but I dream about it.
I am fond of children and I dream
about a happy family with the beloved man.
I am interested in music,
cooking, reading, traveling and others.
If you are interested in me please
write me on my e-mail: [email protected]

Hi. How are you?
My name is Irina.
To me 28 years old. I get your E-mail
at Soul Mate service – agency of the
international acquaintances in my city.
At Soul Mate service to me has told that
you looking for women for serious
relationships as me. I have interest in
acquaintance with you and having
correspondence to found each other better.
I hope you still in search of serious
relationships with women and will answer
to me.

Hello I’m Natasha
Now some words about mine search….
I looking for serious relationships here.
I want to find my man for making strong
and happy family in the future.
” in the future ” because it long way
for it. We should comunicate much and
long time what to come to it. Not so?
Please reply on my personal e-mail:
[email protected]

Hi I know that this it is difficult to
find future love by so way, but I have
no result in other ways and to decide
to try this. I hope that you will also
interested in me and will answer me back.
I very much would want that you write to
me more about yourselves and city where
you live and sent me photos, I also shall
send you mine photos and will tell more
about myself if you will answer. I aplied
my photo, so you can see what I look.
May be your new friend Olga.

Hello, I are lonely and it is possible
really our destiny. I absolutely not
familiar to me the man……
I certainly perfectly understand, that is
possible you are very strongly surprised
to that you read my small letter…
Certainly you have completely to not look
at him, but I sincerely ask you to give
my letter of very few attention….
I know,that you also as well as I
are lonely and it is possible really
our destiny.

Greetings, my new friend, I hope.
It Ekaterinka writes to you.
For me caused interest your structure
and now I would like to enter with you in
correspondence. That we could learn better
each of us and to see how much we approach
for each of us. Very much I hope, that you
will soon answer me. Because I shall wait
very much your answer.
That I can shortly tell about myself,
in fact it is interesting to you, certainly.
I from Russia, me of 27 years. But I till
now am lonely also my heart free.
Therefore I search only for serious
attitudes and the present feeling.
If game or flirtation I ask you to not
write to me is interesting to you only.

Hello!
I have addressed in marriage agency
to find the man.
I have paid to marriage agency 15 $
to make the questionnaire.
I have left there the data and a photo.
To me have shown photos of several men.
I have chosen you and me distances
yours e-mail.
I at once have decided to write to you
the letter. So I have found you!
But I search only serious relations,
Then please at all do not answer me.
The Harmony, understanding and confidence
also much it is important. If You
interesting corresponder with me also.
I hope you to me you will answer !
Ana!!

All images © Dan Hayon

via Square Magazine

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