To me, one of the basics of true art is its closeness to mankind. After all, if art is not about man and not intended for man, if it is not one of the forms of communication and comprehension – then what purpose does it serve?
Being a photographer, I get a unique opportunity to become acquainted with people of different social backgrounds, lifestyles and nationalities; I find myself in a completely new environment and even become part of it for a while. This way, I am able to see how people live, to communicate with them, and to explore their way of life, daily work and traditions through the use of photography so as to tell others about them.
I started to do my first photographic projects in Russia, in Saint-Petersburg region, near Kingisepp, the place where I was born. It happened naturally because of the fact that I didn’t have any opportunity to travel at the time, and it turned out to be a blessing – I knew about the places which remain non-existant for most people, thus I photographed a kind of parallel reality. This became a continuous quest and exploration, meeting people who live hidden and unnoticed by society. This experience was eye-opening for me. It made me realise a lot of things that never before were so astounding and vivid, it made me think how fragile this world of relative stability created by our families is, how thin is the borderline between health, both mental and physical, and sickness, the normality of everyday life and misery, freedom and lifetime imprisonment. In the stories and in the eyes of the people I saw hope and despair; all the possible emotions and situations that I heard or read of, now were not on the pages of the books, on a television screen, on a theatre stage, but here they were, in front of me, real, the first-hand experience of life, without any intermediaries. Then I was able to expand, to do some travels to different regions of Russia, to start realizing what a huge country it is and to come to thinking what is this component, besides the territory and language, that unites us and is common for all of us. Sometimes it felt like there was none, as if I was on another planet, even if I was in a village 200 km away from Moscow.
When I photograph I feel much better than when I don’t. I believe, this explains everything.
It is as if I start to feel the firm ground under my feet, or I forget that it does not exist at all.
For me photography became a means of dealing with people. Sometimes I feel like a magician, sometimes – a worthless person who wants to get into other people’s lifes without any reason.
In any case, I am glad that this has happened to me, I became more than a spectator while remaining only a spectator. Photography allows me to be among other people and be on my own at the same time.
And, after all, I like the fact that every single picture is created in a fraction of a second.
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#49: From the series «Territory of Broken Dreams»,
Village of Shuvaevo, Tver Region, Russia (July 2007)
Medium: Fotografie
op gelatine silver prints onfiber-based paper
Afmetingen: 40 х 60сm., edition of 10
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#50: From the series «Gypsy Children»,
Iskitim, Novosibirsk Region, Russia (July 2006)
Medium: Fotografie
op gelatine silver prints onfiber-based paper
Afmetingen: 40 х 60сm., edition of 10
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#51: From the series «Unezhma»,
Archangelsk Region, Russia (August 2007)
Medium: Fotografie
op gelatine silver prints onfiber-based paper
Afmetingen: 40 х 60сm., edition of 10
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Curriculum Vitae
Alexandra Demenkova, RU (1980, Kingisepp, RU)
Education
The State Russian Herzen Pedagogical University, Department of Foreign Languages, Saint-Petersburg, RU, 1998-2003
Union of Journalists, Photo Department, Saint-Petersburg, RU, 2000-2002
Residencies
Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten/Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, 2008-2009
Fellowships/stipends
2008 Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Amsterdam, NL, (Russisch Cultuur Fonds)
Other
2008 Jeffefsonville, NY, USA, Eddie Adams Workshop, Barnstorm XXI
2007 Amsterdam, NL, 14th annual World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass
2007+ collaborates with the Agency Photographer.ru, Moscow
2005 Saint-Petersburg, RU, Masterclass organized by the foundation “Objective Reality”
Awards
2008 Krasnodar, RU, ‘Photovisa’, 2nd prize, Documentary Photography
2007 Siberian Biennale, Nizhny Novgorod, RU, ‘Young Photographers’, Press Photography,
Honourable Mention
2007 Madrid, SP, Finalist of ‘Descubrimientos’, Photo Espana 07
2007 Moscow, RU, ‘Russian Press Photo’, Best of photojournalism 2007, 1st prize
2006 Veliky Novgorod, RU, ‘The Golden Lens’, 2nd prize in the nomination ‘A place of living’
2006 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The best press-photographer 2006′, Grand Prix
2006 Siberian Biennale, Nizhny Novgorod, RU, ‘Young Photographers’, 2nd prize Press Photography
2006 Bielsko-Bialy PL, ‘No Borders’, 3rd prize in the nomination ‘People’
2006 CN, ‘Humanity Photo Award’, documentary prize in the nomination ‘Daily Life’
2005 Veliky Novgorod, RU, ‘The Golden Lens’, 1st prize in the nomination ‘A place of living’
2005 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The best press-photographer 2005’, special nomination of the jury
‘For the best B/W photograph’
2005 London, GB, ‘The Ian Parry Scholarship’, 3rd prize
2005 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The best press-photographer 2004′, nomination ‘Daily Life’
2004 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The Northern Palmyra’, Grand Prix
2003 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The best press-photographer 2002′, special nomination of the jury ‘For the best sense of composition’
Solo exhibitions
2009 Saint-Petersburg, RU, Museum of the History of Photography, ‘Obrazy i Podobija’
2006 Saint-Petersburg, RU, Anna Akhmatova Museum at Fountain House, ‘Homeless’
2006 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘Alone’ gallery, ‘The Night Bus’
2005 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The ropewalkers’, part of the project ‘The latest stories’
Group exhibitions
2009 Arles, France, Jeune Photographie Russe, UIT de Provence
2009 Zingst, Germany, “Horizons” Photographic Festival
2009 Moscow, RU, “Russian Style”, Gallery.Photographer.ru
2009 Lyon, France, Jeune Photographie Russe, Galerie Domus (catalogue)
2009 Dhaka, Bangladesh, Chobi Mela V, International Festival of Photography
2009 Saint-Petersburg, Russia, “Who Am I?”, Loft Project Etazhi
2008 Amsterdam, Holland, OpenAteliers, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten
2008 Saint-Petersburg, Ru, ’25 years after’ – exhibition of graduates of Photo Department in the Union of Journalists
2008 Hannover, Germany, ‘Lumix’, Festival of Young Photojournalism
2008 Zingst, Germany, ‘Horizons’ Photographic Festival
2007 Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘Bliz-R’ Photographic Festival, Artists’ Union
2007 Saint-Petersburg, RU, Exhibition of Photodepartament
2007 Kaliningrad Photographic Festival ‘Photomania’, RU
2007 Bursa, Turkey, ‘Ufat’ Photographic Festival
2007 Saint-Petersburg, RU, House of Cinema, ‘Open your eyes’, exhibition within the framework of the festival against racism
2006 House of Journalists, Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘Beloved Women’
2006 Museum of Anna Akhmatova in the Fountain House, Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘Love’
2006 Kameraseuran Galleria, Helsinki, FI, ‘Walk through the city’
2006 The Saint Peter’s Church, Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘World through the eyes of a child: Black and White’
2006 Central Exhibition Hall ‘Manege’, Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘Decisive Moment’, other venue: The Central House of Architect, Moscow, RU
2005 photo-café ‘Blow-up’, Saint-Petersburg, RU
2005 Manege, Saint-Petersburg, RU;Petrozavodsk, RU, Almaty, KZ ‘The latest stories’
2003 House of Journalists, Saint-Petersburg, RU, ‘The Exhibition of one photograph’