PARALLEL WORLDS. VLADIMIR POZDNYAKOV’S PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTS

Abstract

In the article, the researcher examined the artistic and conceptual features of works from the unrealized exhibition project ‘Parallel Worlds’ created by Vyborg photographer Vladimir Pozdnyakov in the late 20^th — early 21^st centuries. In the series ‘Parallel Worlds’, he created a romantic image of the Monrepos Park and presented the people associated with it, successfully combining history and modernity. Many of the photographer’s motifs and techniques had analogues in Russian and foreign photography, testifying his knowledge of the history and aesthetics of the medium. In the series, not only did Vladimir Pozdnyakov include classical portraits and landscapes, but also manipulated pictures using photomontage, specific filters, distortions, and other methods. In addition to optical effects, the photographer also extensively worked with textures. He was interested in the haptic aspect of image perception, making it more complex and diverse. The researcher concluded that the ‘Parallel Worlds’ project has not become just an example of Vladimir Pozdnyakov’s work in the field of experimental photography, showing his good imagination and technical skills. Moreover, this project allows us better to understand the photographer’s creativity in general. The author considered Vladimir Pozdnyakov’s heritage as a unique artistic statement, imbued by philosophical ideas and reminiscences to world culture.