Anna Nova Gallery of Contemporary Art presents Dmitry Markov’s solo project THE SEVENTH HEAVEN. This is the first exhibition of this photographer after his departure from life in February 2024. In 2 levels of the Gallery, 60 works that the author created in 2014 through 2023 will be displayed.
Dmitry Markov is a well-known photographer, documentalist, volunteer, and author of iPhone-shot photo stories about the so-called provincial Russia. He was the first Russian to take part in the Apple’s ads campaign, winner of a grant by Getty Image, winner of the grand prize at the Silver Camera contest, and author of two photo books. Unfortunately, he didn’t finish the third one.
Dmitry’s childhood coincided with the fall of the Soviet Union. As a child, he lived in Pushkino, a town in the Moscow Region. That might be the reason why his photographs seem to be full of the Russian chtonic spirit. At the same time, Markov could see the beauty and the great love behind the apparent gloom and depression — or at least, a hope for such love. The artist’s career included enough research, observations, joy, and disappointment, but THE SEVENTH HEAVEN perfectly showcases this ability of his. Every stop he took on his way was photographed to represent something more than a moment of time and a fragment of space squeezed into a shot with good composition.
According to Vladislav Efimov, curator of the exhibition, Dmitry Markov’s art project is valuable not only because of the author’s skill of framing, but because he knew how to choose his models and how to present them at a critical moment. “Markov’s project is photographically conceptual — and at the same time, it doesn’t match the usual practice of observation-based full confirmation of the conclusions made. His classical conceptual approach implies turning to knowledge and methods that are nearly academic. In the case of THE SEVENTH HEAVEN, we can see organic fusion of masterful techniques, which are typical for good photography, accompanied by romanticism of hope.”
The visitors are invited to take a journey through the works of Dmitry Markov, whose mission was search of faith that is contradictory to the academic method. The valuable aspect of his works, which formal scholars seem to miss, is his belief in humans. Dmitry was absolutely positive that humans could evolve on the inside whatever the circumstances. Mr. Markov is empathic to humans, and his works complement the variety of the world, making it susceptible to changes for the better.
Project partner: PENNLAB Gallery.
