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…There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment .” Hagakure. Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
Born in Moscow, 1965.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
EXHIBITIONS
1990 – 1995. Member of Artist exhibitions in the Central Hall of Exhibitions Manezh, Moscow. Russia.
2005, 2009. Member of the exhibition “Fashion and Style in photopgraphy”. Moscow.
2008. Personal Exhibition “Day of the dead in Mexico”. Tschuseva Architectural museum. Moscow. Russia.
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. Winner and member of the group exhibition Best of Russia. Moscow. Russia.
2009. Finalist and member of the exhibition The Art of Photography Show. San-Diego, USA.
2013. “Krymsk. Eyewitness. Direct speech.” Solo exhibition. Multimedia Art Museum. Moscow. Russia.
2015. “The Russian North”. Solo exhibition. Forum fur Kunst. Heidelberg. Germany.
2015. Finalist and member of the group art exhibition “Show your world”. “Moscow. Twilight” series. Gallery MC, NYC. The USA.
2016. Portraits 2016. Curator Martha Schneider. The
Born in Moscow, 1965.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
EXHIBITIONS
1990 – 1995. Member of Artist exhibitions in the Central Hall of Exhibitions Manezh, Moscow. Russia.
2005, 2009. Member of the exhibition “Fashion and Style in photopgraphy”. Moscow.
2008. Personal Exhibition “Day of the dead in Mexico”. Tschuseva Architectural museum. Moscow. Russia.
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. Winner and member of the group exhibition Best of Russia. Moscow. Russia.
2009. Finalist and member of the exhibition The Art of Photography Show. San-Diego, USA.
2013. “Krymsk. Eyewitness. Direct speech.” Solo exhibition. Multimedia Art Museum. Moscow. Russia.
2015. “The Russian North”. Solo exhibition. Forum fur Kunst. Heidelberg. Germany.
2015. Finalist and member of the group art exhibition “Show your world”. “Moscow. Twilight” series. Gallery MC, NYC. The USA.
2016. Portraits 2016. Curator Martha Schneider. The
Born in Moscow, 1965.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
Center for Fine Art Photography. Colorado. The USA. Juror's and Director's awards. Finalist and member of the group exhibition.
AWARDS
International Photography Awards. Professional category. Los Angeles. USA. 2d prize, Lebanon photo story. Three 3d prizes in different categories. 2007.
Semi-finalist of Hasselblad Masters Awards 2008, 2010.
Black & White Spider Awards. Nominee. 2012.
National Press Photographers Association. 3d place. 2013.
Kuala Lumpur Photoawards. Finalist and member of the exhibition. 2013.
International Photography Awards. 1st place. 2013.
PX3 Competition, Art Photography Show. Nominee. 2013.
The 6th Fotofestival Mannheim-Ludwigshafen-Heidelberg. Germany. Winner of the portfolio review. 1st place. 2015.
Central European House of Photography. Bratislava. Slovakia. Winner of the portfolio review. 1st place. 2015.
Portraits 2016. Curator Martha Schneider. The Center for Fine Art Photography. Colorado. The USA. Juror's and Director's awards. Finalist and member of the group exhibition. 2016.
BOOKS
Trip to Kargopol. Seven routes along Russian northern ground Kargopol with historical-architectural and art museum.
The book is devoted to the historical and cultural landscape of the Kargopol district, formed in unique socio-economic and environmental conditions.
Awards: Book of the Year 2014. Nomination “Art book”.
2014. 1000 copies
Villa Sestano. This book is dedicated to the project of the 16th century ancient villa whuch reconstruction finished in 2013. The architects of the project are Nina Proudnikova, Philippe and Peter Yushin. Photos by Kirill Ovchinnikov. 2015. 100 copies.
«Gardens of Eternity» — This is a 24cm x 30cm landscape-sized paperback edition, hand-printed in two copies in Russian and English. The total volume is approximately 200 pages. The art book is based on photographs by Kirill Ovchinnikov, taken between 2007 and 2015 during numerous trips to Morocco. This is not a guidebook or travel tips. It is not an ethnographic or documentary study of the country. It is an autobiographical story told through photographs and, to some extent, words, an observation of life, an attempt to understand and rethink a period of time spent in a particular country.
AWARDS
International Photography Awards. Professional category. Los Angeles. USA. 2d prize, Lebanon photo story. Three 3d prizes in different categories. 2007.
Semi-finalist of Hasselblad Masters Awards 2008, 2010.
Black & White Spider Awards. Nominee. 2012.
National Press Photographers Association. 3d place. 2013.
Kuala Lumpur Photoawards. Finalist and member of the exhibition. 2013.
International Photography Awards. 1st place. 2013.
PX3 Competition, Art Photography Show. Nominee. 2013.
The 6th Fotofestival Mannheim-Ludwigshafen-Heidelberg. Germany. Winner of the portfolio review. 1st place. 2015.
Central European House of Photography. Bratislava. Slovakia. Winner of the portfolio review. 1st place. 2015.
Portraits 2016. Curator Martha Schneider. The Center for Fine Art Photography. Colorado. The USA. Juror's and Director's awards. Finalist and member of the group exhibition. 2016.
BOOKS
Trip to Kargopol. Seven routes along Russian northern ground Kargopol with historical-architectural and art museum.
The book is devoted to the historical and cultural landscape of the Kargopol district, formed in unique socio-economic and environmental conditions.
Awards: Book of the Year 2014. Nomination “Art book”.
2014. 1000 copies
Villa Sestano. This book is dedicated to the project of the 16th century ancient villa whuch reconstruction finished in 2013. The architects of the project are Nina Proudnikova, Philippe and Peter Yushin. Photos by Kirill Ovchinnikov. 2015. 100 copies.
«Gardens of Eternity» — This is a 24cm x 30cm landscape-sized paperback edition, hand-printed in two copies in Russian and English. The total volume is approximately 200 pages. The art book is based on photographs by Kirill Ovchinnikov, taken between 2007 and 2015 during numerous trips to Morocco. This is not a guidebook or travel tips. It is not an ethnographic or documentary study of the country. It is an autobiographical story told through photographs and, to some extent, words, an observation of life, an attempt to understand and rethink a period of time spent in a particular country.
About ...
…There is surely nothing other than the single purpose of the present moment. A man's whole life is a succession of moment after moment. If one fully understands the present moment, there will be nothing else to do, and nothing else to pursue. Live being true to the single purpose of the moment .” Hagakure. Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
Born in Moscow, 1965.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
Read more
Born in Moscow, 1965.
Painter. Member of International union of graphic artists since 1990.
Graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical Institute, graphic artist department, in 1992.
Freelancing journalist and designer from 1997-1999.
Professional photographer since 2000.
Main shootings of architecture and interior were done for Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Salon Interior, Interni, Wallpaper magazines. Main portraits have been published for Inrerior+Design, Shtab kvartira, Mezonin magazines. Worked as travel photographer for Conde Nast Traveller, Afisha Mir, Vokrug Sveta, Travel+Leagure magazines. Portraits and fashion shootings for Esquire, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, L’Officiel, Vogue, Forbes, Snob magazines.
Collaborated with Photo Tass in Beirut in 2007.
From 2009 worked for Russian Reporter magazine.
Member of Grinberg photos Agency from 2011.
The artworks are in museums and private collections.
From 2013 teaches courses of portrait and documentary photography at British Higher School of Design in Moscow.
Read more
Interior design and realization of a contemporary living space in a Stalin-era brick building in central Moscow. The interior brings together Stalinist architecture, industrial aesthetics, and vintage design, creating a space where every detail serves the ideas of freedom and functionality.
APARTMENT FOR MY ALTER EGO
This is not exactly an interior design project. Nor is it an apartment for a client. Nor is it a home for myself. It is an art project. Perhaps one day it will be sold, but that was never the point. I tried to approach it with detachment; yet I must confess that, in the end, I created it not so much for myself as for my alter ego.
The idea was to create the greatest possible sense of openness for one or two visually sophisticated inhabitants of our beloved metropolis. I would like to call it a contemporary vision of domestic life in the age of the "cult of the individual," but that would not be entirely accurate. This is neither the monumental grandeur of Stalinist high-rises nor the pomp of apartments built for Soviet generals. Those grand façades of the 1930s have long since been surrendered to endless streams of traffic...
This is not exactly an interior design project. Nor is it an apartment for a client. Nor is it a home for myself. It is an art project. Perhaps one day it will be sold, but that was never the point. I tried to approach it with detachment; yet I must confess that, in the end, I created it not so much for myself as for my alter ego.
The idea was to create the greatest possible sense of openness for one or two visually sophisticated inhabitants of our beloved metropolis. I would like to call it a contemporary vision of domestic life in the age of the "cult of the individual," but that would not be entirely accurate. This is neither the monumental grandeur of Stalinist high-rises nor the pomp of apartments built for Soviet generals. Those grand façades of the 1930s have long since been surrendered to endless streams of traffic...
Private Apartment in Moscow. 2026
A minimalist house built from a shipping container, conceived as an experiment in space where architecture and nature exist as a single whole. The 15 sq. m interior continues the tradition of minimalism and suggests a Scandinavian Lagom way of life.
A CONTAINER FOR LIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS.
For half of my life, I lived in a Moscow apartment. During all those years, I rarely thought about walls or about everything that comes with them: thick brickwork, central heating, the warmth of cast-iron radiators, hot water flowing effortlessly from the tap. The generous floor area of a city apartment allows us to accumulate possessions and live with very few practical limitations. Yet those same walls also separate us from the outside world. My home is my fortress - quite literally, a fortress built of brick.
After becoming the owner of a partially dismantled glass pavilion and spending two years living without solid walls or central heating, I found myself thinking about temporary, non-permanent architecture. How much space does a person actually need in order to live?...
For half of my life, I lived in a Moscow apartment. During all those years, I rarely thought about walls or about everything that comes with them: thick brickwork, central heating, the warmth of cast-iron radiators, hot water flowing effortlessly from the tap. The generous floor area of a city apartment allows us to accumulate possessions and live with very few practical limitations. Yet those same walls also separate us from the outside world. My home is my fortress - quite literally, a fortress built of brick.
After becoming the owner of a partially dismantled glass pavilion and spending two years living without solid walls or central heating, I found myself thinking about temporary, non-permanent architecture. How much space does a person actually need in order to live?...
Black Box. 2025
A documentary series about one of the most personal days in the photographer’s life. A reportage in which the professional eye meets the emotions of a father, transforming wedding photography into a family story.
In more than twenty years of working as a photographer, I think I shot only one wedding, and that was for a friend. Somehow it never clicked with me. Maybe I couldn't shift gears, maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind—I honestly don't know. Something simply didn't align.
I delivered the photographs. My friend seemed happy with them.
I wasn't.
There was nothing memorable about that shoot. And if I can't remember a shoot, it means it was rubbish. A masterpiece is impossible to overlook. It shines like a diamond, even when buried beneath a mountain of ordinary work.
When a shoot goes well, there are usually several photographs that immediately stand apart. You recognize them the moment you see them. That feeling is unmistakable.
In fact, it begins long before you ever look at the images.
First comes the nervous anticipation, the same feeling you get before taking a leap...
I delivered the photographs. My friend seemed happy with them.
I wasn't.
There was nothing memorable about that shoot. And if I can't remember a shoot, it means it was rubbish. A masterpiece is impossible to overlook. It shines like a diamond, even when buried beneath a mountain of ordinary work.
When a shoot goes well, there are usually several photographs that immediately stand apart. You recognize them the moment you see them. That feeling is unmistakable.
In fact, it begins long before you ever look at the images.
First comes the nervous anticipation, the same feeling you get before taking a leap...
My Son’s Wedding. 2024
An original café interior in Krasnaya Polyana, created for restaurateurs Olya and Katya. A space where industrial architecture comes alive through glamorous details. Brutalism is combined with vintage furniture, art, natural light, and handmade elements.
«PEERS»
The clients behind this project, Olga and Katya, are restaurateurs from Surgut. Their new story in Krasnaya Polyana began with a food truck called Peers. Much like the one in the film Chef, it quickly became a local favorite thanks to its consistently excellent Tom Yum soup and sandwiches. Two years later, the first small Peers café opened - our first project together - and we immediately discovered that we spoke the same creative language. Another two years passed, and it was time to create the larger Peers.
People often tell me, "Kirill, you have a distinctive style." Despite having studied the history of art and architecture - or perhaps because of it - I can only smile when someone asks me what that style is. It is rather like asking a person to describe their own character...
The clients behind this project, Olga and Katya, are restaurateurs from Surgut. Their new story in Krasnaya Polyana began with a food truck called Peers. Much like the one in the film Chef, it quickly became a local favorite thanks to its consistently excellent Tom Yum soup and sandwiches. Two years later, the first small Peers café opened - our first project together - and we immediately discovered that we spoke the same creative language. Another two years passed, and it was time to create the larger Peers.
People often tell me, "Kirill, you have a distinctive style." Despite having studied the history of art and architecture - or perhaps because of it - I can only smile when someone asks me what that style is. It is rather like asking a person to describe their own character...
Rovesniki Café. Krasnaya Polyana. 2024–2025
A two-level apartment with panoramic views of the mountains and forest, where the structure itself became the principal material. Instead of concealing the construction and engineering systems, they were made a visible part of the interior. Metal, wood, concrete, and natural light create a space where architecture itself becomes decoration and part of the surrounding mountain landscape.
SIMPLE–COMPLEX SOLUTIONS.
What did I see when I was first invited to view the apartment that would become this project?
A newly built two-story house with a loft apartment. In a sense, it was even a penthouse - sixty-five square metres in total. Bare concrete finishes, a reinforced concrete frame and slabs, walls built from lightweight concrete blocks. Everything had been executed to a high standard, yet the proportions felt strangely unresolved. The dramatic double-height living space immediately drew my attention with its five-metre ceiling. The pitched roof created a striking exposed beam structure overhead, while generous glazing and a balcony opened toward the surrounding mountains and forest.
The loft occupied the centre of the apartment. At the ridge the ceiling was only a little over two metres high, while along the sides it was barely...
What did I see when I was first invited to view the apartment that would become this project?
A newly built two-story house with a loft apartment. In a sense, it was even a penthouse - sixty-five square metres in total. Bare concrete finishes, a reinforced concrete frame and slabs, walls built from lightweight concrete blocks. Everything had been executed to a high standard, yet the proportions felt strangely unresolved. The dramatic double-height living space immediately drew my attention with its five-metre ceiling. The pitched roof created a striking exposed beam structure overhead, while generous glazing and a balcony opened toward the surrounding mountains and forest.
The loft occupied the centre of the apartment. At the ridge the ceiling was only a little over two metres high, while along the sides it was barely...
Private Apartment in Krasnaya Polyana. 2023–2024
A project born from a love of motorcycles and travel. A multifunctional space for enduro enthusiasts, where industrial aesthetics are combined with carefully considered functionality. A service area, bar, shop, and social space come together to create a meeting place for local riders and visitors to Krasnaya Polyana.
I LOVE MOTORCYCLES.
I love motorcycles. My first one appeared when I was thirty. Before that, for some reason, I had never realized this passion existed. One day I was walking along Moscow's Garden Ring when I saw a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket in a shop window, and in that instant everything became clear. It felt as though I had suddenly awakened. From that moment on, motorcycles occupied my thoughts completely. I could no longer imagine living without one. What seemed strange was not my obsession, but the fact that I had somehow managed to live for thirty years without discovering it. As usual, I forgave myself for the oversight.
At the time I drove an old Moskvich 412. It reminded me of the Soviet construction set I had as a child - only on wheels. Like a stubborn donkey, it rattled, broke down, and constantly demanded attention, yet somehow it always carried me through difficult moments...
I love motorcycles. My first one appeared when I was thirty. Before that, for some reason, I had never realized this passion existed. One day I was walking along Moscow's Garden Ring when I saw a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket in a shop window, and in that instant everything became clear. It felt as though I had suddenly awakened. From that moment on, motorcycles occupied my thoughts completely. I could no longer imagine living without one. What seemed strange was not my obsession, but the fact that I had somehow managed to live for thirty years without discovering it. As usual, I forgave myself for the oversight.
At the time I drove an old Moskvich 412. It reminded me of the Soviet construction set I had as a child - only on wheels. Like a stubborn donkey, it rattled, broke down, and constantly demanded attention, yet somehow it always carried me through difficult moments...
Enduro 23. Motorcycle Rental. 2021
BUBBLE GYM Mobile Fitness is a unique mobile training facility designed for group and individual outdoor workouts with views of the mountains or the sea.
The mobile platform can be fully set up in less than 30 minutes. Built on a Mercedes-Benz 308D, the gym offers maximum flexibility through durable modular structures designed for a wide range of exercises.
Four strength-training stations can be configured individually, while pull-up and parallel bars are fully adjustable.
BUBBLE GYM is designed for both strength and aerobic training. The station is equipped with barbells and weight plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, benches for bench presses and abdominal exercises, medicine balls, TRX suspension trainers, a climbing rope, punching bag, wearable weights, and resistance bands.
The mobile platform can be fully set up in less than 30 minutes. Built on a Mercedes-Benz 308D, the gym offers maximum flexibility through durable modular structures designed for a wide range of exercises.
Four strength-training stations can be configured individually, while pull-up and parallel bars are fully adjustable.
BUBBLE GYM is designed for both strength and aerobic training. The station is equipped with barbells and weight plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, benches for bench presses and abdominal exercises, medicine balls, TRX suspension trainers, a climbing rope, punching bag, wearable weights, and resistance bands.
BUBBLE GYM - TRAIN IN THE OPEN.
The idea of building a mobile gym came to me unexpectedly, although now it feels as though it had always been there, quietly walking beside me, never more than an arm's length away.
As a child, I was frail and dreamy. On the trolleybus people often mistook me for a girl when they saw me from behind. "Miss, could you pass the fare, please?" they would say...
The idea of building a mobile gym came to me unexpectedly, although now it feels as though it had always been there, quietly walking beside me, never more than an arm's length away.
As a child, I was frail and dreamy. On the trolleybus people often mistook me for a girl when they saw me from behind. "Miss, could you pass the fare, please?" they would say...
Mobile Gym. 2020
A reconstruction project in a historic Moscow building, based on a combination of classical French style, functionalism, simple materials, and vintage objects with histories of their own.
LIVING SPACE WITH CHARACTER.
I have lived in many different parts of Moscow: Kuntsevo, Tsvetnoy Boulevard, Bibirevo, Universitet, Presnya, Polezhayevskaya... I never really chose them - they seemed to choose me. In one I was born, in another I went to school, in a third I ended up by chance while I was young, another came because of work, then inheritance, then marriage. One day I was standing on my balcony, smoking and looking at the combined heat and power plant across the way. Its friendly striped chimney was sending clouds of smoke into the sky just as I was. I accepted its presence with philosophical resignation, but I never liked it. At that moment I realized it was finally time to choose where I wanted to live, rather than simply ending up somewhere.
The more I thought about it, the more obvious something became. Most of us simply adapt to whatever we have. We have living space - zhilploshchad...
I have lived in many different parts of Moscow: Kuntsevo, Tsvetnoy Boulevard, Bibirevo, Universitet, Presnya, Polezhayevskaya... I never really chose them - they seemed to choose me. In one I was born, in another I went to school, in a third I ended up by chance while I was young, another came because of work, then inheritance, then marriage. One day I was standing on my balcony, smoking and looking at the combined heat and power plant across the way. Its friendly striped chimney was sending clouds of smoke into the sky just as I was. I accepted its presence with philosophical resignation, but I never liked it. At that moment I realized it was finally time to choose where I wanted to live, rather than simply ending up somewhere.
The more I thought about it, the more obvious something became. Most of us simply adapt to whatever we have. We have living space - zhilploshchad...
Apartment for a Photographer. Moscow. 2019
This project offers a glimpse behind the scenes of one of Russia’s largest ski resorts and introduces the people whose work ensures that every morning the mountain is ready to welcome thousands of skiers and snowboarders.
THE OTHER SIDE OF ROSA KHUTOR.
Rosa Khutor Ski Resort was one of the key venues of the XXII Olympic Winter Games held in Sochi in 2014. Its geographical location is unique: only forty kilometers separate it from both Sochi and the Black Sea coast. At its foot lies the mountain village of Krasnaya Polyana, while above it rise the slopes of the Aibga Ridge. The highest point of the resort reaches 2,320 meters near the Main Caucasian Ridge.
Covering an area of 1,820 hectares, Rosa Khutor stretches across the northern, northeastern, and southern slopes of Aibga...
Rosa Khutor Ski Resort was one of the key venues of the XXII Olympic Winter Games held in Sochi in 2014. Its geographical location is unique: only forty kilometers separate it from both Sochi and the Black Sea coast. At its foot lies the mountain village of Krasnaya Polyana, while above it rise the slopes of the Aibga Ridge. The highest point of the resort reaches 2,320 meters near the Main Caucasian Ridge.
Covering an area of 1,820 hectares, Rosa Khutor stretches across the northern, northeastern, and southern slopes of Aibga...
Rosa Khutor Resort. Krasnaya Polyana. 2015
A photographic series exploring the city as a living organism. Architecture, light, and human silhouettes merge into a single space where documentary photography becomes almost painterly. The project grew from a desire to see the familiar urban landscape differently - not as a collection of buildings, but as an independent entity with its own character and rhythm.
THE CITY.
People are selfish by nature. I am just as selfish as everyone else, perhaps even more so.
Ever since I was a child, I loved walking with no destination in mind, simply wandering wherever my feet would take me. That was when dreaming came easiest. There is something about the steady rhythm of walking that allows your thoughts to drift effortlessly into distant places, into beautiful impossibilities and imagined worlds. Most of the time I was so absorbed in myself that I barely noticed what surrounded me, and yet certain images, small slides of the outside world, left their mark on my memory. Even then I was acutely aware of beauty.
One day I was crossing a field. I must have been twelve or thirteen. It was in Estonia, where my grandparents spent their summers. The countryside rolled gently from open fields into forests...
People are selfish by nature. I am just as selfish as everyone else, perhaps even more so.
Ever since I was a child, I loved walking with no destination in mind, simply wandering wherever my feet would take me. That was when dreaming came easiest. There is something about the steady rhythm of walking that allows your thoughts to drift effortlessly into distant places, into beautiful impossibilities and imagined worlds. Most of the time I was so absorbed in myself that I barely noticed what surrounded me, and yet certain images, small slides of the outside world, left their mark on my memory. Even then I was acutely aware of beauty.
One day I was crossing a field. I must have been twelve or thirteen. It was in Estonia, where my grandparents spent their summers. The countryside rolled gently from open fields into forests...
Twilight. Art Project. 2014–2016
I did not come here in search of beautiful landscapes. I was interested in people, their homes, traditions, and everyday lives. This is a story about people, traditions, and daily life, where atmosphere, memory, and the connection between a person and a place become central.
THE RIFLE.
I found myself in Dagestan on assignment for Condé Nast Traveller. It was a promotional tour organized by some government ministry or other - I honestly cannot remember which one. Things tend to be rather complicated there, and I never made much effort to untangle them. Our group included prominent figures from the worlds of glossy magazines and business. I remember being greeted by a minister and a jeep full of armed guards. They drove demonstratively through the city without paying the slightest attention to traffic regulations. By then I had learned not to be surprised by anything, so I simply watched the world passing by.
We were heading into the mountains, to Gunib, the administrative center of the district. Mountainous Dagestan, the homeland of the Avar people, is entirely different from the Dagestan that stretches along the Caspian Sea. Even the people seem different...
I found myself in Dagestan on assignment for Condé Nast Traveller. It was a promotional tour organized by some government ministry or other - I honestly cannot remember which one. Things tend to be rather complicated there, and I never made much effort to untangle them. Our group included prominent figures from the worlds of glossy magazines and business. I remember being greeted by a minister and a jeep full of armed guards. They drove demonstratively through the city without paying the slightest attention to traffic regulations. By then I had learned not to be surprised by anything, so I simply watched the world passing by.
We were heading into the mountains, to Gunib, the administrative center of the district. Mountainous Dagestan, the homeland of the Avar people, is entirely different from the Dagestan that stretches along the Caspian Sea. Even the people seem different...
Dagestan. Documentary Project. 2015
Seven routes through the Russian North with the Kargopol Museum of Fine Arts.
From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the Kargopol district was a major economic and cultural center of the Russian North. Trade in timber, salt, fish, and furs flourished alongside leatherworking and pottery; monasteries produced printed and handwritten books and maintained icon-painting workshops. The Kargopol region also became one of the centers of Old Believer settlements in the Russian North.
In the 19th century, however, the railway was built 80 kilometers away from the town. The once-prosperous region found itself removed from the country’s major routes, gradually becoming a quiet cultural province - remote, difficult to reach, and often forgotten.
From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the Kargopol district was a major economic and cultural center of the Russian North. Trade in timber, salt, fish, and furs flourished alongside leatherworking and pottery; monasteries produced printed and handwritten books and maintained icon-painting workshops. The Kargopol region also became one of the centers of Old Believer settlements in the Russian North.
In the 19th century, however, the railway was built 80 kilometers away from the town. The once-prosperous region found itself removed from the country’s major routes, gradually becoming a quiet cultural province - remote, difficult to reach, and often forgotten.
BUTTERFLIES.
In Russia, almost everything is done through personal connections. Through friends or relatives. Or through someone who has been "your person" for years - someone whose work you already know, or at least someone recommended by people you trust. But every now and then a project arrives completely unexpectedly.
One day I received a phone call inviting me to an office to discuss a commission.
"My name is Lilia Khafizova, editor-in-chief. This is Evgeny Korneev...
In Russia, almost everything is done through personal connections. Through friends or relatives. Or through someone who has been "your person" for years - someone whose work you already know, or at least someone recommended by people you trust. But every now and then a project arrives completely unexpectedly.
One day I received a phone call inviting me to an office to discuss a commission.
"My name is Lilia Khafizova, editor-in-chief. This is Evgeny Korneev...
Journey to Kargopol. 2013
A documentary project photographed during an expedition to Franz Josef Land. A story about one of the most remote and severe places in the Arctic, where endless landscapes, traces of the past, and a sense of absolute emptiness become the central characters.
WHITE RUBBER BOOTS.
Whenever I reach into the wardrobe, I keep running into a pair of enormous white rubber boots. They are always in the way, yet I cannot bring myself to throw them out. I wore them only once.
It was summer, a good summer for assignments, promising both fees and impressions. I was working in the Arkhangelsk Region on a new book, A Journey through Kargopol. I had arrived only the day before and had barely begun shooting when a call came from Moscow. Russian Reporter. Nastya Svartsevich. Her familiar cool voice asked whether I would like to go to Franz Josef Land...
Whenever I reach into the wardrobe, I keep running into a pair of enormous white rubber boots. They are always in the way, yet I cannot bring myself to throw them out. I wore them only once.
It was summer, a good summer for assignments, promising both fees and impressions. I was working in the Arkhangelsk Region on a new book, A Journey through Kargopol. I had arrived only the day before and had barely begun shooting when a call came from Moscow. Russian Reporter. Nastya Svartsevich. Her familiar cool voice asked whether I would like to go to Franz Josef Land...
FJL. Franz Josef Land. 2012
A fashion shoot for Travel + Leisure that developed into a documentary story, where glamorous fashion becomes intertwined with real life on city streets and crowded markets, among the ancient temples of one of Southeast Asia’s most mysterious and isolated countries.
THE GIRL.
Every photographer dreams of shooting travel assignments. Everyone loves to travel, especially when someone else is willing to pay for it. Photographing on the road seems like the most natural and effortless thing in the world. Of course, now and then you have to sweat - or freeze - but those are insignificant details, hardly worth mentioning.
One day I was invited to shoot a fashion story for Travel + Leisure. It was meant to appear in the magazine's pilot issue. Our small crew flew into Yangon, the capital of Myanmar: editor-in-chief Maxim Maslakov, a model, a makeup artist, a stylist, and myself.
Everything was first-class.
We travelled along the Irrawaddy River aboard a luxurious cruise ship, stopping at ancient towns along the way. Every day brought a new menu. The French chef did everything he could to impress us. Delicacies, fine wines, elaborate desserts...
Every photographer dreams of shooting travel assignments. Everyone loves to travel, especially when someone else is willing to pay for it. Photographing on the road seems like the most natural and effortless thing in the world. Of course, now and then you have to sweat - or freeze - but those are insignificant details, hardly worth mentioning.
One day I was invited to shoot a fashion story for Travel + Leisure. It was meant to appear in the magazine's pilot issue. Our small crew flew into Yangon, the capital of Myanmar: editor-in-chief Maxim Maslakov, a model, a makeup artist, a stylist, and myself.
Everything was first-class.
We travelled along the Irrawaddy River aboard a luxurious cruise ship, stopping at ancient towns along the way. Every day brought a new menu. The French chef did everything he could to impress us. Delicacies, fine wines, elaborate desserts...
Myanmar. Fashion Story. 2012
This is not a documentary study, a guidebook, or advice for travelers. I also doubt that the project has much ethnographic value. It is a photographic story that began in 2007 and continued for eight years - a story about one part of my life and about a country that is sometimes real and sometimes imagined.
GARDENS OF ETERNITY.
Once, while searching for a title for my series of photographs from Morocco, I came across a description of Paradise in the Qur'an. The surah was called Jannat al-Khuld - The Gardens of Eternity.
It made me think that everyone carries within themselves a place they dream of, a place to which they long to retreat.
I never dreamed of owning a country house with vegetable gardens. I disliked all-inclusive resorts and holiday hotels. But the first time I saw Essaouira, I realized that, if my dream had a shape, it might look something like this.
Later, I invented an imaginary country - a place one could escape to, if only in the imagination. Remembering the Surah, I wrote these words about it:
Here, everything is made of gold and silver,
and our thoughts are simple and pure.
The air is filled with light...
Once, while searching for a title for my series of photographs from Morocco, I came across a description of Paradise in the Qur'an. The surah was called Jannat al-Khuld - The Gardens of Eternity.
It made me think that everyone carries within themselves a place they dream of, a place to which they long to retreat.
I never dreamed of owning a country house with vegetable gardens. I disliked all-inclusive resorts and holiday hotels. But the first time I saw Essaouira, I realized that, if my dream had a shape, it might look something like this.
Later, I invented an imaginary country - a place one could escape to, if only in the imagination. Remembering the Surah, I wrote these words about it:
Here, everything is made of gold and silver,
and our thoughts are simple and pure.
The air is filled with light...
Travel Sketches. Morocco. 2007–2015
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