Valery Katsuba
Air Flight. Red Ribbons IV
6.000,00€ – 10.000,00€
Air Flight. Body Shock Series
150 x 150 cm, Edition of 6 + 2 AP 120 x 120 cm, Edition of 6 + 2 AP 85 x 85 cm, Edition of 6 + 2 AP
Analog photography, C-type print
AIR FLIGHT. BODY SHOCK 2010 “The artist (Valery Katsuba) decided to make a project «Air Flight. Body Shock» about circus relying upon his own feelings. This is not a very trendy topic in contemporary art. Maybe, true affection, immersion into the subject of art can become a way out of art crises which turned into appendage of market conveyor, a part of entertainment industry, various discourses and “rational” perception of reality. Phrases “a stretch of imagination”, “a spirit hover” carry one away into the world of irrational, world of dreams which the circus always appealed to. Human dream to learn to fly doesn’t derive from birdwatching, but evolves out of flying experience in our dreams, as well as from the internal “free fall”. One can hardly rely on Freud, who interpreted it as a fundamental sexual basis and educed origins of aircraft from Leonardo Da Vinci’s erotic dreams (“fellatio”). Flight is our unconscious desire enclosed in the memory of body and brain by evolution as a potential ability. Dream of flying is a “dream reality” that puts body under control and trapeze artists’ way of thinking turns into their lifestyle. The whole structure of Katsuba’s photography underlines spiritual and classic origins of the gymnasts (Olga Golubeva and Evgeny Efremov) work, turns trapeze into high art backed by the “memory of body”. The young gumnasts in their performances place an accent on beautiful forms of high art. Suddenly Dante’s Paolo and Francesca – two cuddling shadows floating together, who don’t part even in the hellfire – appear behind the photos showing elegant compositions built of young bodies. But the point of high art is that even in the most extreme circumstances it “performates” stress and recoil into high artistic conditions. In this sense the exhibition comprising several kinds of art and creative minds as co-authors (photographer and gymnasts), is about elevated things – it terms of gravity, ideas and feelings. Andrey Khlobystin, Art historian
2010
works (as director, choreographer or trainer) with models – athletes, dancers, actors, circus performers, workers or friends. His works are in the collections of the Centre
Pompidou (Paris), the Russian Museum (St Petersburg), the Museum of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Madrid), Shanghai Centre of Photography and others.
BIOGRAPHY
Valery Katsuba was born in 1965 in Minsk Region, Republic
of Belarus, USSR.
His interest in literature, History and Art, as well as sport, was shaped in part thanks to the enthusiasm of his teachers.
After finishing school at the age of 16, he went to study at the Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy in Leningrad (now St Petersburg, Russia), where he completed a degree in meteorology in the Arctic Faculty with honours.
He then commenced postgraduate research under the guidance of Academician Vladlen Adamenko. It was at this time that he met journalist Sergey Kalinin and art historian
Catherine Phillips, and under their influence started to work in journalism. He produced pieces for St Petersburg radio and television and for BBC radio and television, and wrote about the art of St Petersburg and Moscow in the age of Perestroika for
Kommersant, The Guardian, The Independent, Vogue Paris and others. He gave up his graduate studies, recognising that his vocation lay in art. In the late 1990s, he started to collaborate with Vogue magazine, which set up a Russian edition, also with W
Magazine and others producing photoshoots for renowned photographers such as Arthur Elgort, Neil Kirk, Philip-Lorca di Corcia and stylists Katharina Flohr and Carine Roitfeld. In 2002, he started filming with his own Hasselblad, a gift from Neil Kirk, who was to become the first collector of his work.
Shanghai Centre of Photography, Shanghai, China
Museum of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain
State Russian Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia
Centre for Contemporary Art of the 2nd of May (CA2M),Mostoles, Madrid, Spain
Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, Russia
National Centre for the Plastic Arts, Paris, France
Korea Photo Printing Promotion Association, Seoul, Korea Central State Archive of Film and Photo Documents, St Petersburg,Russia
Museum of the New Academy of Fine Arts, St Petersburg, Russia
2022, 2021 Valery Katsuba: Romantic Realism in Photography. Matthew Liu Fine Art Gallery, Shanghai, China.
2021 Valery Katsuba: Russian Romantic Realism (curated by Karen Smith, supported by Sarah Vinitz Foundation and Anna Nova Gallery), Shanghai Centre of Photography, Shanghai, China.
2018–2019 The Model: Classic and Contemporary (curated by José Manuel Springer, supported by the Sarah Vintz Foundation and the Frolov Gallery), National Museum of San Carlos, Mexico City, Mexico
2017 The Academic Tradition: St Petersburg – Madrid (curated by Semyon Mikhailovsky, with the support of the Frolov Gallery), Museum of the San Fernando
Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain
2016 Eight Stories (curated by Anna Shpakova), Gallery Ў (U neskladovaya), Minsk, Belarus
2016 100 Years Later (curated by Agnes Rammant), University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
2015 Selections from Far Away From Home (with the support of the Frolov Gallery), St Petersburg Academy of Arts, St Petersburg, Russia
2014 100 Years Later (curated by Semyon Mikhailovsky, with the support of the Sputnik gallery), parallel program MANIFESTA 10 of the European Biennale of Contemporary Art, St Petersburg Academy of Arts and the Research Museum of the Russian
Academy of Arts, St Petersburg, Russia
2014 Morning, St Petersburg Academy of Arts and the Research Museum of the
Russian Academy of Arts, Petersburg, Russia
2013 Velocius, Altius, Fortius, ArtMost Gallery, London, UK
2012 Air Flight. Body Shock, Sputnik Gallery, New York, USA
2011 Air Flight. Body Shock, Polka Gallery, Paris, France
2010 Air Flight. Body Shock, GMG Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2007 Phiscultura (curated by Ekaterina Kondranina), Moscow International Photobiennale, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia
2006 Phiscultura (curated by Maria Jesús Andrés García), Circulo de Bellas Artes
(Society of Fine Arts), Madrid, Spain
2006 Metamorphoses of the Monarch, Kremlin Museum, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
2005 The Seasons. My Friends, Moscow International Photobiennale, Moscow Museum
of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia
2005 Metamorphoses of the Monarch (for St Petersburg Early Music Festival supported
by Marc de Mauny and Andrey Reshetin), Vladimir Nabokov Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
2001 Every Passion is Blind and Wild, XL Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2000 Farewell to the Winter's Tale, (supported by Irina Khmel’nitskaya), Palace of the
Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, St Petersburg, Russia
2022 Táctica Sintáctica, Marres – House of Contemporary Culture. Maastricht,
Netherlands
2022 Táctica Sintáctica, Museum Centre for Contemporary Art of the 2nd of May
(CA2M), Mostoles, Madrid, Spain
2021 Photo London, Shtager Gallery booth, London, UK
2021, 2019 Photofairs, Anna Nova Gallery booth, Shanghai, China
2019 European Games – European Art, National Centre for Contemporary Arts of the
Republic of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
2019 Phiscultura and Air Flight, Photofairs, Anna Nova Gallery stand, Shanghai, China
2018 Winter Tales, ART4 Museum, Moscow, Russia
2017 Air Flight, as part of the Month of Photography in Minsk, Grodno, Belarus
2016–2017 Phiscultura, Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah, Georgia, USA
2016 Every Passion is Blind and Wild in the Collection, National Center for Arts and
Culture Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
2007 Metamorphoses of the Monarch and Every Passion is Blind and Wild,
Cosmoscow, Gostiny Dvor, Frolov Gallery stand, Moscow, Russia
2015 Metamorphoses of the Monarch and Every Passion is Blind and Wild in Vladislav
Mamyshev-Monroe exhibition Archive M, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow,
Russia
2014 Phiscultura, Holden Gallery, Manchester, UK
2013 Phiscultura, Sir John Soane Country House, Pitzhanger Gallery, London, UK
2013 Air Flight, Art Palm Beach, Sputnik Gallery stand, Miami, USA
2013 In Memory of Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe, State Russian Museum, St
Petersburg, Russia
2012 Phiscultura, Museum of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia
2012 Air Flight, AHAF, Anna Nova Gallery stand, Hong Kong International Art Fair
2011 Nijinsky and Diamonds, Anna Nova Gallery, St Petersburg, Russia
2011 Nijinsky and Diamonds, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
2011 Albatross, State Historical Museum, Moscow, Russia
2011 Nijinsky and Diamonds, VI Tashkent International Biennale of Contemporary Art,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
2011 Air Flight, Korea International Art Fair, Anna Nova Gallery stand, Seoul, Korea
2010 Phiscultura, State Russian Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
2010 Air Flight, Moscow International Photobiennale, Moscow, Russia
2007 Metamorphoses of the Monarch, State Russian Museum, St Petersburg, Russia
2007 Phiscultura, Art Moscow, Central House of Artists, Frolov Gallery stand, Moscow,
Russia
2002 Every Passion is Blind and Wild and Strength and Beauty, Moscow International
Photobiennale, Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
2000 New Year's Celebrations and Winter Tales, Moscow International Photobiennale,
Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
2017 The Academic Tradition: St Petersburg – Madrid, Publishing House of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, St Petersburg, Russia
2017 Air Flight, Prolab, Moscow, Russia
2013 Velocius, Altius, Fortius, ArtMost Foundation, London, UK
2007 Phiscultura, Turner Publishing, Madrid, Spain
Romantic Realism for FOTOFAIRS, Shanghai
https://www.photofairs.org/interview-valery-katusba/
Valery Katsuba: Nostalgy for Harmony
https://www.art-critique.com/en/2021/07/valery-katsuba-nostalgy-for-harmony/
ABC, Spanish National Newspaper. Interview.
https://www.abc.es/cultura/cultural/abci-valery-katsuba-fotografio-creyendo-foto-
preservara-esquivas-impresiones-tocaron-202204272012_noticia.html
Interview about Valery Katsuba: Romantic Realism for The Paper, China
https://inf.news/en/photography/53e2277d7b31689d6bce3f8a672809f9.html
https://journal.masters-project.ru/russkij-romanticheskij-realizm-valerij-kacuba/
Exhibition at the National Museum of San Carlos, Mexico City, 2018, video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AZYliAIEps&t=162s
The photographic process, Mexico City, 2018, video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11U30gTdIqk&t=11s
Exhibition at the St Petersburg Academy of Arts, Russia, 2014, video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFr7_DHoicE&t=82s
Film shoot with the Bolshoi ballet for MaxMara, 2011, video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnyw9lUt6bg&t=8s
Interview for the Academy of San Carlos, Mexico City, 2018 video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Pez5fpHCw&t=482s
Interview for The Paper (China) about the exhibition in Shanghai centre of Photography
https://inf.news/en/photography/53e2277d7b31689d6bce3f8a672809f9.html
Telecast of the exhibition in Mexico City on the Once Channel, Mexico City
https://oncenoticias.tv/nota/exhiben-fotografias-de-valery-katsuba-en-museo-de-san-
carlos
Article about the exhibition in Mexico City in the newspaper El Universal, 2018
https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/cultura/fotografo-se-inspira-en-cultura-prehispanica-
para-mostrar-el-cuerpo-humano
Article about the exhibition in Mexico City in the newspaper El Economista, 2018
https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/arteseideas/Apologia-del-espectro-atletico-y-racial-
mexicano-20181113-0128.html
Article about the exhibition in Mexico City in the newspaper La Jornada, 2018
https://www.jornada.com.mx/2018/11/15/cultura/a05n1cul
Article about the exhibition in Mexico City in Vogue Mexico Magazine, 2019
https://www.vogue.mx/estilo-de-vida/articulo/exposicion-valery-katsuba-cdmx
Sarah Vinitz Foundation Website
www.sarahvintz.com
Article about the exhibition The Academic Tradition in El País, Madrid, 2017
https://elpais.com/ccaa/2017/08/09/madrid/1502278953_097352.html
Article about the exhibition The Academic Tradition in Descubrir el Arte Magazine,
Madrid, 2017
https://www.descubrirelarte.es/2017/07/11/san-petersburgo-y-madrid-un-viaje-por-la-
tradicion-academica.html
Interview for Solar Magazine, Madrid, 2017
http://archive.solarmag.es/home/2017/8/8/0syfn67xvmsvm8y7q8wlq86ateib2s
Book Review on Academic Tradition: St Petersburg - Madrid, 2017
https://www.photographer.ru/events/afisha/7202.htm
Pompidou Center Information Page, Paris, 2016
https://www.centrepompidou.fr/cpv/resource/coKR77k/rX5AeMr
Article in Bleek Magazine, Moscow, 2016
https://bleek-
magazine.ru/articles/%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B
9-%D0%BA%D0%B0% D1% 86% D1% 83% D0% B1% D0% B0 /
Interview for the Belarusian portal KYKY, Minsk, 2016
https://kyky.org/cult/vyros-v-belaruskoy-derevne-vystavlyaetsya-v-muzee-pompidu-
intervyu-s-fotohudozhnikom-valeriem-katsuboy
Interview for Radio Liberty, Petersburg, 2014
https://www.svoboda.org/a/26569135.html
Article on Velocius, Altius, Fortius Exhibition in Russian Art + Culture, London, 2013
https://www.russianartandculture.com/exhibition-review-valery-katsuba-velocius-altius-
fortius-at-artmost-8-march-15-june-2013/
Interview for the TeleDom channel, Petersburg 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW9OdyvNuRo&t=179s
Article in the newspaper Kommersant, Moscow, 2007
https://www.kommersant.ru/gallery/765281
Book Review: Phiscultura, 2007
https://www.photographer.ru/events/review/738.htm
Interview for the magazine Photo and Video, Moscow, 2007
http://www.foto-video.ru/art/portfolio/19043/