The First Museum Photobiennale is the large-scale museum project, which includes about 460 works by 298 photographers from 62 towns and cities of the Russian Federation. The exposition demonstrates the situation of modern Russian photography, presenting both professional and amateur photographers. This is a unique project within the framework of a museum, launched in Russia for the first time ever. The goal of this and the following photobiennales is to discover new tendencies in all variants and genres of modern Russian photography, to find new names and to attract attention to their creative potential. The Russian Museum intends to introduce regularly (every two years) the oeuvre of professional masters of photography and those photo-artists, who has just started their creative career. After the invitation from the Russian Museum, professional and amateur photographers had been sending their works for several months (from February to May 2009). The nominations were as follows: art-photography (all genres and kinds of photography as part of Contemporary art), sport, reportage and photography as history of everyday life. The Photobiennale, intended to be a regular show of modern national photography, immediately attracted great interest in Russia: Russian photographers from different towns and cities of the Russian Federation sent about 6,000 digital images. Russian citizenship of the authors was the only limit of the project. Their age and proficiency were not of that importance for participation. According to the first round of the contest nearly 1,200 images were chosen. All photographs that passed the second round (and were presented at the exhibition) were included into the catalogue published by the Russian Museum. Arranged according to the genres – reportage, portraiture, landscape, still-life, nude, ballet, sport, everyday life, ethno, religion and art – works by the participants represent both classical photography and its actual interpretations. During the time of the exhibition jury will choose three winners, whose exhibited works (as well as their other works especially recommended by the jury's mutual decision and expert council) will be sent for approval of the Fund Purchasing Committee of the Museum for their subsequent acquisition for the Museum collection. Based on direct and electronic voting of visitors, the Russian Museum instituted a special prize for the People's Choice Award nomination. Also instituted are the prizes from Iveta and Tamaz Manasherov, founders of the U-ART Cultural Charitable Foundation and the prizes from partners of the Photobiennale: Yarky Mir Company (St Petersburg) and FotoTsentr (Moscow). The project has been prepared with support from Iveta and Tamaz Manasherov, Founders of U-ART Cultural Charitable Foundation.
Exhibition period
26.11.2009 – 15.2.2010
Venue
Russian Museum
Marble Palace
5/1 Millionnaya Str.
191186 St Petersburg
Russia
Exhibition catalog on ISSUU
Artists
