Contemporary Russian Photography

I was delighted to learn that My Own Wilderness participant Denis Tarasov will be included in the upcoming Fotofest International Biennial exhibit Contemporary Russian Photography 1950-2012. Tarasov is among 22 photographers being featured in a special exhibit that showcases the Young Generation of Russian photographers. 

Foto Fest International 2012
March 16- April 29th
Houston, Texas

Contemporary Russian Photography 1950- 2012

The Biennial explores  modern and contemporary Russian photographic history over the last five decades, from the post-Stalinist period of the 1950s to the present day.  Three main  exhibitions, created for the FotoFest 2012 Biennial, present  three periods of Russian modern and contemporary photography,   with  the works of 142 artists from Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine: After Stalin, “The Thaw”, The Re-emergence of the Personal Voice (1950s-1970s), Perestroika, Liberalization and Experimentation (1980s-2010), and The Young Generation (2009-2012). Of the works, on loan from private collections and the archives of the artists themselves, many are being shown for the first time outside of Russia.

With a population of 143 million people, Russia spans two continents and nine time zones, while its citizens speak 28 languages. It is a global powerhouse fitfully engaged with capitalism, consumerism and an ongoing struggle to define itself as a modern nation in the context of its own history and culture. FotoFest’s 2012 Biennial will serve to introduce an international audience to never- or little-before-seen contemporary Russian art practice and culture through the medium of photography.

Denis Tarasov from Dreams of an Oasis

The Young Generation - 2007-2012
FotoFest Headquarters at Vine Street Studios, 1113 Vine Street, Houston, Texas


Unlike their predecessors, the young generation of Russian artists today has little direct experience with Soviet Communism. Growing up after its collapse, they began their careers as part of a globally-connected, consumerist and individual-oriented society. Although some have the means to leave Russia to study art in Western Europe and the U.S., many others continue to work inside Russia. In contrast to the sharply ironic and outward-looking artists of the Perestroika periods, younger artists are looking inward, immersed in their own personal experiences and the psychological dilemmas of growing up in modern-day Russia. The artists in The Young Generation exhibit are:


Tatiana Antonuk
Oleg  Borodin
Roman Bregman
Alexandra Demenkova
Kir Esadov
Maria Kozhanova
Vlad Krasnoshchek
Ivan Mikhailov
Karen Mirzoyan
Vasilisa Nezabarom
Alisa Nikulina
Margo Ovcharenko
Nikita Pirogov
Tatiana Plotnikova
Petr Rakhmanov
Dina Shchedrinskaya
Anna Skladmann
Alexandra Stukkey
Anastasia Tailakova
Denis Tarasov
Fedor Telkov
Daria Tuminas

My Own Wilderness

The work of Denis Tarasov, as well as many other young Russian photographers can be seen in the recently published book My Own Wilderness, produced by PHOTO/arts Magazine and edited by Christopher H Paquette.  The book contains the work of 44 photographers from around the world, and 14 of the contributors are from Russia.

A full preview of the book can be seen here.....  My Own Wilderness