In “Russian Fairy Tales,” German photographer Frank Herfort presents a mesmerizing visual survey of public and private spaces throughout post-Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe. The book pays homage to the lingering Stalinist decor and old-fashioned interiors that still dominate many Russian environments. Herfort’s compositions are characterized by a strange, theatrical stillness that strips away time and context, turning ordinary waiting rooms, offices, and apartments into surreal, fairytale-like stages. With 88 color illustrations, the work explores the tension between the nostalgic weight of history and the stark reality of the present, capturing the “soul” of a vast region caught between eras.