For more than 15 years, Timofey Kolesnikov has been studying the subject of social identification through portrait photography. The emotional component of his images make it possible to better see the author himself, be it through a famous celebrity in New York or children in the small town orphanages of Russia. During his sociological research, Mr. Kolesnikov has built an archive of more than 20,000 international subjects and describes the love of his research as “Inside me is a fanatical, almost manic desire to learn more about people.”
Self-portrait
Timofey Kolesnikov is famous for emotional portraits of celebrities such as Jared Leto, Karl Lagerfeld, Bono, Brian Ferry, Antonio Banderas, Natalia Vodianova, Sasha Luss and others. His work has been featured in many types of magazines from Dazed and Confused to Vogue, and with different reportage, social and commercial work, and has had several exhibitions including in the Moscow Museum of Modern Art.
“I study people and their faces, eagerly.”
“Inversion” is a new project that arose several months since his move to NYC in 2019 when he felt “a sensation of transition to another stage, as tests fell on the world. This is the transition to the other side. Perhaps I wanted to see a different version of myself, to turn the identity inside out. Thus was born the form, the content of sensations. In general, I also like to see x-rays on the fragility of the human body.”
Name : Timofey Kolesnikov @TimofeyKolesnikov
Birthplace : Salekhard, a small city (30K people) in the most Northern part of Russia where winter is -56 celsius / -68 farenheit. Lived there without plumbing until 17.
Métier : Life explorer through photography.
Sources of inspiration : Looking through binoculars of people on the street, contemplate blooming flowers, religions and myths. I am inspired by everything that cannot be seen, everything that cannot be heard, everything that cannot be told in words.
Sources of motivation : Laziness tells me the way. Anything I’m too lazy to do is what I don’t need in my life. I do what I’m interested in. An artist is a person who passes life through himself, no matter what happens. This is a damn strong source of motivation.
What makes you happy : Justice and mercy. The freedom to think that we are free. Moments of balance and the ability to share with others. I have love.
Favorite reads : Bible, Koran, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Favorite tunes : I like Thom Yorke, only his solo story, vibration of Sadhguru’s voice in chants. Right now I listen to a lot of Soviet experimental music, Eduard Artemiev.
Favorite foods : My favorite food is Japanese. I admire this minimalism, fullness of tastes and simple solutions.
Beauty tips : Relax.
Favorite ways to unwind : I love traditional Chinese tea ceremony, fine culture, the opportunity to go beyond the usual vision.
What gets you in a working flow : Devotion.
What are you working on now : Lately, I do small-sized series of works. Four years ago I started to shoot a series of remote portraits, so just called friends and photographed them. In isolation I decided to continue exploring this environment. This energy is generated in each of us. We are thousands of miles apart, but the energy is in us, it is between us, it is amazing.
Is your “Inversion” series fashion, art or photography?
For me, the time of separation has ended. Time to put everything together, to unite with life, this is intended to communicate my feelings.
What is your favorite kind of photographic work to do?
I like to shoot in different directions, shooting fashion and teamwork gives me joy and self-realization, you multiply efforts with the team. And events like the Oscars, they’re alive, where you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Last year I had been working on museum series, now more with virtual reality projects. Which are not yet filled with a system and it’s very sustainable. Now we will not cut trees, pump oil, as in this virtual world there is no gravity.
Favorite motto / quote : “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”
― Abraham Lincoln
To view Timofey Kolesnikov’s work visit www.timofeykolesnikov.com
