I grew up in a family that valued stability. Education, quiet routines, and fitting in were seen as the right way to live, especially during the Soviet years. By the time I was born, that era had already ended and most of my relatives had passed away. I only knew them through brief childhood memories. I never got the chance to truly connect with them.
Years later, I came across a box filled with old photographs, letters, and handwritten notes. Looking through it felt like stepping into a world I was somehow part of, but did not yet understand. Through these images, I began to meet my family again. My grandparents, who I remembered as serious and distant, suddenly appeared in moments of joy. My grandfather, in particular, once strict and silent, was now smiling, surrounded by friends.
Piece by piece, I followed clues written on the backs of photos. There were names, dates, and half-erased thoughts. Every discovery brought me closer to lives I had only guessed at. I began to understand that family is not only made up of the people who raise you. It can also include those you come to know through memory and imagination.
To give shape to this experience, I combined natural elements with the archive. I gathered fallen leaves and printed photographs onto them using a chlorophyll method. In doing so, I created a living family tree, one that connects memory, nature, and time.
Years later, I came across a box filled with old photographs, letters, and handwritten notes. Looking through it felt like stepping into a world I was somehow part of, but did not yet understand. Through these images, I began to meet my family again. My grandparents, who I remembered as serious and distant, suddenly appeared in moments of joy. My grandfather, in particular, once strict and silent, was now smiling, surrounded by friends.
Piece by piece, I followed clues written on the backs of photos. There were names, dates, and half-erased thoughts. Every discovery brought me closer to lives I had only guessed at. I began to understand that family is not only made up of the people who raise you. It can also include those you come to know through memory and imagination.
To give shape to this experience, I combined natural elements with the archive. I gathered fallen leaves and printed photographs onto them using a chlorophyll method. In doing so, I created a living family tree, one that connects memory, nature, and time.
Exhibitions & festivals
2023
REGENERATE, Noorderlicht Fotofestival, Groningen, NL
FAMILY TREE, Farm Cultural Park, Mazzarino, IT
PAST & PRESENT, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, DE
DOCA, IGUMO, Moscow, RU
2023
REGENERATE, Noorderlicht Fotofestival, Groningen, NL
FAMILY TREE, Farm Cultural Park, Mazzarino, IT
PAST & PRESENT, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, DE
DOCA, IGUMO, Moscow, RU
LIEBEN BELEBT, Smol Gallery, Saint Petersburg, RU
АДРЕСА(Н)ТЫ, Pentagon, Vorkuta, RU
Related projects
2021: дом
АДРЕСА(Н)ТЫ, Pentagon, Vorkuta, RU
Related projects
2021: дом
Screenings
2023
PAST & PRESENT, ZIRKA, Munich, DE
BECOMING MONUMENTAL, Autograph’s Gallery, London, UK
2023
PAST & PRESENT, ZIRKA, Munich, DE
BECOMING MONUMENTAL, Autograph’s Gallery, London, UK
Lectures
2023
Artist Talk about ‘Family Tree’ for Inaugural Conferences of Countless Cities, IT
Residencies
2023: Farm Cultural Park, Mazzarino (Italy)
2023
Artist Talk about ‘Family Tree’ for Inaugural Conferences of Countless Cities, IT
Residencies
2023: Farm Cultural Park, Mazzarino (Italy)