Fyodor Telkov is a photographer, artist and researcher of the anthropological and cultural diversity of the Urals and Russia. He is a graphic design and applied photography teacher. Fyodor is a member of the Union of Artists of Russia (since 2010), winner of international and national awards and a curator at photography museum Metenkov House (2017-2021).
Since 2008 Fyodor has been exploring the inner life of the Urals with the help of photography. One of the topics that he explores is documentation of the most post-industrial region of the country in the post-industrial era. «Smog» is a project that the author does not work on purposefully, it includes pictures taken during everyday life, this is the reality that he encounters as a resident of a specific territory.
Fyodor Telkov’s photographic works make the mythology of the Urals visible and address timeless images (project «Tales», 2014 to the present day). In the projects «Ural Mari. No Death» (together with Natalia Konradova and Alexander Sorin, 2010-2019) and «The Line of the North» (together with Sergei Losing, 2012-2014) the photographer turns into an ethnographer, anthropologist, cultural scientist and captures ethnic Mari, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets, Selkups in traditional clothing, but in a modern urban and rural context.
Today Fyodor Telkov is engaged in research of contemporary Old Believers (the «Right to believe» project), trying to understand the relationship between the dissenting person and the state, the believing person and the communist system, globalization and attempts to preserve faith and tradition, the choice between the benefits of civilization and asceticism.
Awards:
Winner, Premio Peabody Fotogría (Argentina, 2022);
Foam Paul Huf Nominee (Netherlands, 2022);
Winner, Direct Look photocontest (Russia, 2021);
Winner, Pictures of the Year Asia 2021;
Winner of the state prize in the field of contemporary art «Innovation 2020» in the category «Project of the year» in the group of artists with Alexander Sorin and Natalia Konradova (Russia, 2020);
Shortlist of the XI Sergey Kuryokhin contemporary art award in the category «Best work of visual art» in a group of artists with Alexander Sorin and Natalia Konradova (Russia, 2020);
Winner, Urbanautica, Sacred. The experience of beyond (Italy, 2020);
Shortlist, Direct Look photocontest (Russia, 2019, 2017);
Winner, Obscura Festival of Photography (Malaysia’s, 2018);
Shortlist, New East Photo Prize (United Kingdom, 2018);
Shortlist, Premio Gabriele Basilico 2nd edition (Italy, 2018);
Winner, Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest (Russia, 2018, 2016);
Winner, Young photographers of Russia Contest (Russia, 2018, 2016, 2013, 2009);
Winner, Fotocanal Photography BOOK Contest (Spain, 2016);
Shortlist, International Photomuseum Grant Contest (United Kingdom, 2016);
Winner, Photovisa International Photography Festival (Russia, 2014)
Winner, Alexander Efremov Photojournalism Contest (Russia, 2014, 2012, 2011);
Winner, Young Photography Contest (Russia, 2013, 2011, 2010);
Winner, Circuito OFF Competition (Festival di Cortona, Italy, 2013);
Winner, The Best Photographer 2010 National Award (Russia, 2011);
Winner, International Vilnus Photo Circle Contest (Lithuania, 2011).
Group exhibitions:
14 International Festival of Contemporary Art “ALANICA” (Vladikavkaz, Russia, 2021);
«Ural Mari. There is no death», project authors: Natalia Konradova, Alexander Sorin, Fyodor Telkov. (Novosibirsk Museum of local lore, Russia, 2019);
«Ural Mari. There is no death», project authors: Natalia Konradova, Alexander Sorin, Fyodor Telkov. Special project of the 5th Ural industrial Biennale of contemporary art (Russia, Yekaterinburg, Yeltsin center, 2019);
«Open limits», the XIII Krasnoyarsk Museum Biennale of contemporary art, curator Vladimir Seleznev (Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 2019);
Preview of the 5th Ural industrial Biennale of contemporary art (Russia, Moscow, GUM-Red-Line Gallery, 2019);
«Local», curated by Artem Antipin, (NCCA, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2019);
Somewheres & Anywheres: Young Photography from Eastern Europe (EEP Berlin’s Gallery, Berlin, Germany, 2019);
Obscura Festival of Photography (Malaysia, Penang, 2018);
Misteries of Russian Landscape (Sirius Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2018);
«Tragedy in the corner», curated by Diana Machulina (Moscow Museum, Russia, 2018);
Through The Looking Glass (Ural Vision Gallery, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2018);
«Taming the void. 50 Years of contemporary art of the Urals», curated by Vladimir Seleznev (Moscow, Yekaterinburg, 2017-2018);
4th Industrial Biennale of contemporary art (Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2017);
23 Rencontres de la Jeune Photographie Internationale (Cacp Villa Perochon, Niort, France, 2017);
General history (Ural Vision Gallery, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2016);
Timorous Beasties (Studio e Gallery, Bellevue, USA, 2016);
Mari. Research / Chuvash. Research (VINZAVOD center for contemporary art, Moscow, Russia, 2015);
3rd Ural industrial Biennale of contemporary art (Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2015);
Invisible cities (Krasnoyarsk Museum center, Russia, 2015);
Open Border Festival (Amsterdam, Holland, 2014);
Pingyao International Photography Festival (China, Pingyao, 2013);
FotoFest 12 photography Biennale (USA, Houston, 2012);
«Port city: there is no sea here» as part of the special program of the 4th Moscow Biennale of contemporary art (Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2011);
Perm Biennale of photography (Perm, Russia, 2011).
Solo exhibitions:
Right to believe (MMOMA, Moscow, Russia2022);
36 Views (Lycée Jean Rostand, Chantilly, France, 2019);
36 Views (Kaunas Gallery, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2019);
36 Views (UFR des Arts, Amiens, France, 2019);
Alania. Testament / The Blood of the Narts (Okno Gallery, Chelyabinsk, Russia, 2018);
Tales (Russian Cultural Foundation, Ivanovo, Russia, 2018);
36 Views (Metekov’s House Museum, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2018);
Alania. Testament / The Blood of the Narts (North Caucasus Branch of the State Museum and Exhibition Center «ROSIZO», Vladikavkaz, Russia, 2017);
36 Views (Park Inn, Nizhny Tagil, Russia, 2017);
Junction (VDNH, Moscow, Russia, 2016);
Descendants of the dream (Na Shabolovke Gallery, Moscow, Russia, 2016);
The other side of the wall (Center of Photography «Mart», Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2016);
North Line (Museum of Fine Arts, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2015);
Descendants of the dream (Culture Center «Ordzhonikizevsky», Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2014);
Tales (Metekov’s House Museum, Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2015);
Hidden (Okno Gallery, Chelyabinsk, Russia, 2009);
Windows (Galerie 4, Hebe, Czech Republic, 2008).
Publications:
GEO, The Guardian, 6 Mois, The Independent Photographer, Lamono, British Journal of Photography, Critical Mess, Landscape Stories magazine, Clavoardiendo Magazine, The Russian Reporter, Port, YET magazine, F-Stop Magazine, Colors, The Calvert Journal, Forbes, Metropol, Life force magazine, Rolling Stone, The New Times, Photobookstore magazine, Clavoardiendo magazine, BBC.