IDENTITY
2024
"Identity" is an attempt to comprehend modern society through the lens of idealized aesthetics of the past. The minimalist setting and strict composition highlight the individuality of each subject, providing the viewer with space to contemplate the notions of beauty and identity in our time. The project is built on the interplay of the old and the new: contemporary faces reminiscent of sculptural images from past eras. However, unlike ancient works that strove for idealized depictions of gods and rulers, this series focuses on the natural, sometimes unrefined beauty of human nature.
"Identity" inaugurates a cycle of series dedicated to exploring various groups and layers of modern society through meticulously constructed composition and a minimalist approach. This project examines the boundaries between diversity and canon, modernity and classicism. Each portrait is rendered in a static, almost sculptural manner, alluding to ancient art forms while reflecting current social and cultural contexts. Despite the uniqueness of each face, there is an underlying aspiration toward a universal beauty inherent to all people. This approach unites timeless concepts of beauty with contemporary notions of diversity and individuality.
Models: We Speak
DISTANCE ZINE
2020
This story is about four skateboarders from the Russian Olympic team. The entire project is divided into three parts, and it shows how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed athletes' lives. The first part was shot before the pandemic, and it exhibits the typical life of a skateboarder, which includes a lot of hard training, falls, and beautiful tricks. In the second part, we see how the familiar landscape transforms as a result of the pandemic. All skateparks are closed for an indefinite period time, and it is impossible to move around the city without special permission. The third part portrays the athletes' love for skateboarding and how even a pandemic cannot stop them. They leave the city and go into self-isolation. Nevertheless, even there they continue to do what they love.
SIGNED LIMITED EDITION OF 50
51 pages, 11.7 x 16.5 in
MOSKOVSTYLE
2017
This was a personal project of mine about a Moscow-based bicycle community called Moskovstyle. For the past four years five riders from this community have been participating in competitions, getting on winners' podiums, and hanging out together.
In this series of portraits I strove to show how the pain of overcoming yourself and the joy of doing what you love most are intertwined in sports.
©2023 Alexander Karnyukhin