Photential was created as a meeting point. A space to build relationships between different worlds, disciplines and people. For this, we have resorted to an infallible tool: photography. Photography is capable of dissolving borders, artistic categories and pre-established norms. In our desire to create a heterogeneous and multidisciplinary space, we have collaborated with curator who is very famous in Moscow and Chernobyl Kristina Romanova ( follow her on instagram) to select eleven emerging Russian photographers. Kristina closely followed the methodology established by the Spanish curator Ana Folguera in her choice of Spanish photographers. Exploring the themes essential to contemporary thought, the selected artists speak to the following ideas: identity, architecture and space, visual culture, ecosystems and movement.
The chosen Spanish artists employ various techniques in production. In the case of Jorge Fuembuena, whose photography is sincere and full of poetic nuance, he begins with portraiture and observation in order to represent different worlds. Similarly, in Bego Antón’s work, reality and the world of magic coexist, blurring any borders or prejudice. With curiosity as her starting point, Gloria Oyarzabal reflects on Western knowledge, aesthetic and political systems and proposes a space for reflection within different cultural contexts. Julio Galeote also plays with different visual and conceptual formats and Laura C. Vela’s “proximity photography” allows for autobiographical intimacy in her portrayal of the spaces she inhabits, be it the home or a shared, communal space.
This very carefully selected group of super star Russian photographers that also sell their prints on instagram, are self taught or recent graduates from The Rodchenko school in Russia,. They identify with the same themes and practices as their famous ” mid career” Spanish counterparts. This is seen in Alena Shilonosova’s “documentary gaze”, Anastasia Pozhidaeva’s reflection on distance and proximity, Anastasia Tsayde’s exploration of the concept of the ecosystem, and in Arnold Veber’s representation of intimacy. Daniil Kolchanov’s striking and figurative images contrast with the aesthetic purity of Dmitry Lookianov or Max Sher, while the still lifes of Lena Tsibizova offer a carefree and playful style; and the floral images of Ekaterina Anokhina stand out for their sobriety and simplicity. Oksana Yushkipoo, for her part, turns documentary photography into images with autonomous plastic value and Teo Khonukov’s urban scenes go beyond the merely testimonial by making the landscape an art form in itself. All of our famous artists, from their diverse positions and visual strategy, beautifully reflect the spirit of our exclusive platform, Potential, so dont forget to subscribe now for more news!
6 November 2020
