Artist statement


I'm an artist creating visual works based on photography. I work with concept of spontaneity, that emphasizes the value of reality. I'm researching themes of value and fragility of the world, the unity and interrelation of its elements. Through my works I make visible to viewers world's subtle interconnections. I also apply to the questions of human identification external and inside, talking about value and fragility of every single personality.

I create digital artworks and documentary projects. I'm collecting pieces of reality using photography to document spontaneous harmony of nowadays. Creating my digital art I multiply slices of photographed real life to create metaphorical myth focused on our metamodernistic reality. Using photography medium as a basic because of its documentary specific, I still save the connection to real life and this bridge from virtual to real is important for me because I'm talking in my art about philosophical concepts.

Admiring unexpected and using automatism and a spirit of spontaneity in creating I recall principles of the surrealists. I work ideologically close to the field of neo-romanticism and in endless searching for balance between real and virtual, inner and external, expectations and reality, I will strongly convincing viewer to discover spontaneous harmony of nowadays and value of every single personality.

For me it's really important what kind of emotions I translate through my works, and I'm choosing to share light energies.

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CV


Ksenia Simakova is a visual artist working with photography for more than 15 years. Born in 1992 in Samara, Russia. Started in 2003 with analog photography and dark room printing process, since school age she researching and educating in photography and visual arts constantly. In 2013 she became The Russian Union of Art Photographers member. In 2014 she graduated as economist-matematician in Samara National Research University, then she had 6 years working experience in innovation economy management. Combination of analytics background, innate propensity for sensory perception and in family raised interest in arts makes Ksenia's practice broad minded. She depending and developing her artistic practice and focused on it priority since 2020.

In 2020 she was selected as 30 Under 30 Women Photographers by Artpil. In 2022 she released her photobook-manifesto dedicated to statement project 'Serendipity' she was working on since 2012 to 2019. Nowadays Ksenia's working mostly on digital art projects based on photography.

Ksenia's works have been exhibited in more than 40 shows in 20 cities in Russia, Italy, Lithuania. Works have been published on covers and in print magazines by USA, Canada, Armenia publishers, included in books and dozens of catalogs. Works are in private collections in Russia and USA.




Education:
2022 Karolina Peskisheva`s (art historian, mentor) educational programs dedicated to Evolution of art of 20 century; Metamodernism; Modern and Postmodern
2021 Graduated in Laboratory CTRL+ART
2020 Olga Ingurazova`s (phojournalist, mentor) mentorship program
2017 Andrey Gordasevich workshop (Moscow, Russia)
2015 Svetlana Pozharskaya masterclass (Moscow, Russia)
2013 Vladimir Vyatkin workshop (Plyos, Russia)
2012 Jonas Staselis masterclass (Cheboksary, Russia)
2009 - 2015 Graduated in photography school "Samara" under Mikhail Musorin guidance
2009 - 2014 Graduated as economist-matematician in Samara National Research University
2006 - 2009 Courses and workshops specialized on photography and visual art
2003 - 2005 Working with analog photography process in photography school "Samara"


Professional associations:
The Russian Union of Art Photographers member since 2013



Exhibitions group
(selectively):


Young Russian photographers contest finalists exhibition in:
Novosibirsk State Art Museum, Novosibirsk, Russia
Museum Centre 'Ploshchad Mira', Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Cultural and Exhibition Center 'Tower', Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Art Cluster 'Oktava', Tula, Russia
ArInnovative Cultural Center, Kaluga, Russia


'Photo eye' exhibition, Alabin Museum, Samara, Russia
Ksenia Simakova's artist talk, Alabin Museum, Samara, Russia


Exhibition of selected artists of 30 Under 30 Women Photographers by ARTPIL (online because of pandemic)


11th international photography competition "Young people in the 21st century" exhibition in "Akropolis", Kaunas, Lithuania, series "World Cup 2018"


"Absences" exhibition curated by LoosenArt in Millepiani exhibition space, Rome, Italy
Contemporary art market exhibition in Formogramma gallery, Samara, Russia


XII Delphic games of CIS countries, Ekaterinburg, Russia
International photocontest "Hope", exhibition in Innovative cultural center, Kaluga, Russia, series "100 years old Mary"
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition in Russian State Library for Youth, Moscow, Russia, series "100 years old Mary", series "This mad world"


National photocontest "Samara's view" exhibition in New Space gallery, Samara, Russia, series "100 years old Mary"
XV Delphic games of Russia, Tyumen, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition, Pushchino, Russia


"World through the eyes of young", Samara, Russia
X Delphic games of CIS countries, Orel, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition, Pushchino, Russia
International photography competition "Young people in the 21st century" exhibition in Kaunas, Lithuania, series "On the way"


"The Best of Russia" project winners exhibition in Contemporary Art Center WINZAVOD, Moscow, Russia
"Polar perspective" photocontest exhibition, Norilsk, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition, Ples, Russia


VIII Delphic games of CIS countries, Novosibirsk, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition, Ples, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition in Vilnius Gallery of Photography, Vilnius, Lithuania
"Three views" exhibition in Museum of Art Nuveau, Samara, Russia
Exhibition of photoschool "Samara" graduated and students, New Space gallery, Samara, Russia


"Youth of Russia" national photo festival exhibition, Moscow, Russia
"Contatti Togliatti fotolaboratorio" second international photofest exhibition, Togliatti, Russia


X Delphic games of Russia, Tver, Russia
National photocontest "Samara's view" exhibition in New Space gallery, Samara, Russia
"Young Russian photographers" contest finalists exhibition in Kazan, Russia


"Youth of Russia" national photo festival exhibition
IX Delphic games of Russia, Moscow, Russia


VIII Delphic games of Russia exhibition in New Space gallery, Samara, Russia

Awards:


30 Under 30 Women Photographers 2020 selected by Artpil
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Moscow, Russia
Honorable mention in 12th international photography competition "Young people in the 21st century", Kaunas, Lithuania


Honorable mention in 11th international photography competition "Young people in the 21st century", Kaunas, Lithuania


Gold medal, XII Delphic games of CIS countries, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Silver medal, XVI Delphic games of Russia, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Nominee in 2017 edition of Photogrvphy Grant (photojournalism), London, UK
Gold medal of international photocontest "Hope", Kaluga, Russia
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Moscow, Russia


Gold medal of national photocontest "Samara's view", nomination "Events", Samara, Russia
Gold medal of national festival "Youth of Russia"
Diploma of XV Delphic games of Russia, Tyumen, Russia
Gold medal of international photocontest "Hope", Kaluga, Russia
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers", Pushchino, Russia


Gold medal in nomination "Winners" of contest "World through the eyes of young"
Gold medal in nomination "Nature" of contest "World through the eyes of young"
Bronze medal in nomination "People" of contest "World through the eyes of young"
Bronze medal in nomination "Free theme" of contest "World through the eyes of young"
Silver medal, XIV Delphic games of Russia, Orel, Russia
Bronze medal, X Delphic games of CIS countries, Orel, Russia
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Pushchino, Russia
Diploma of international photography competition "Young people in the 21st century", Kaunas, Lithuania


Winner of "The Best of Russia" project, Moscow, Russia
Laureate of open photocontest "Polar perspective", Norilsk, Russia
1-st stage winner of Nikon photocontest 2014-2015
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Ples, Russia


Silver medal, XII Delphic games of Russia, Novosibirsk, Russia
Silver medal, VIII Delphic games of CIS countries, Novosibirsk, Russia
1-st stage winner of international photocontest "Photomania", Baltic Biennale Photography, Kaliningrad, Russia
Short-list mention in contest "Point on the map. Towns of the Russian province", single nomination, Uglich, Russia
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Ples, Russia


2nd Prize of national photo festival "Youth of Russia", Moscow, Russia
3rd Prize in time-limited shooting competition "Young Russian photographers", Cheboksary, Russia
Diploma of second international photofest "Contatti Togliatti fotolaboratorio", Togliatti, Russia


Bronze medal, X Delphic games of Russia, Tver, Russia
2nd Prize of national photocontest "Samara's view", Samara, Russia
Finalist of "Young Russian photographers" contest, Kazan, Russia


Gold medal, national photo festival "Youth of Russia"
Silver medal, IX Delphic games of Russia, Moscow, Russia
1st Prize in time-limited shooting competition "Photocross", Samara, Russia


Diploma, VIII Delphic games of Russia, Samara, Russia


Contacts & Links


artist@kseniasimakova.com

@simakova.ksenia

@simakova_space

@KseniaSimakova_

NTF on Rarible

kseniasimakova.com

To commission a project, purchase a print or propose partnership with galleries, publishers, magazines please contact me: artist@kseniasimakova.com
Based in Samara, Russia and available for collaborations and speaking engagements internationally.

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Copying, publishing, and any kind of usage the content only by agreement with the author. Thank you