Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition by the photographer, sports competitor, and expedition organiser Yuri Ovchinnikov
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A showcase of mesmerising landscapes captured on the road
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Snow-clad or sun-drenched views of Russia, Mongolia, Sweden, and other places around the world
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A chance to enjoy the beauty of nature and experience unity with one’s environment
An exhibition of landscape photographs, even if taking place at a contemporary art museum, requires no lengthy curatorial statements: after all, the beauty of nature is self-evident. Whereas landscape painting can have conceptual or even religious undertones, landscape photography tends to be more on the contemplative side. One feels like simply enjoying it, silently dissolving in the snow-clad or sun-drenched scenery.
There is a popular notion that a communion with nature makes human beings happy. However, taking this straightforward route to happiness requires a certain skill – a profound sense of the environment and ability to become one with it. Indeed, it is far easier to feel like an integral part of the natural world than of a human community of any kind. Even though society, just like nature, contains an element of domination, nature lets us simply exist without requiring any sacrifices or imposing any views or choices. The only challenges one encounters here are piercing cold or, perhaps, the mosquitoes. Amusingly enough, as the great Goethe set out on lengthy walks to collect plant specimens and contemplate, he would often return severely bitten by ignoble gnats.
It is amazing that, right next to the tranquil and sublime northern landscapes captured by Yuri Ovchinnikov’s lens, he is leading the adventurous and adrenaline-fuelled life of a participant and organiser of various off-road competitions. This also goes to explain the photographer’s vast geographical outreach. Yuri’s decades-long image-making practice led to an important discovery: the most interesting things are usually taking place above eye level, up in the skies – that is why he makes a point of showing the viewer such evasive sights as the magnificence of the northern lights or the magic of a colourful full moon.

Photographer, sports competitor, expedition organiser Yuri Ovchinnikov was born in Leningrad in 1957. His early passion for orienteering was conductive to a successful sporting career. Yuri holds the title of Master of Sport of the USSR, was a many-time champion of the Armed Forces of the USSR and Leningrad, winner of multiple competitions, Camel Trophy participant and team coach, as well as Russia’s only Porsche certified instructor. President of the St. Petersburg Off-Road Club since 1996, Ovchinnikov masterminded the world’s largest Ladoga Trophy off-road competition.
Enthusiastic about photography since his childhood years, Yuri originally experimented with black and white and reversal film images. After acquiring a digital camera he eventually gravitated towards landscape photography. Frequently roaming the world in search of the perfect photo opportunity, he visited Alaska, New Zealand, Iceland, Mongolia, Kola Peninsula, Lake Baikal, Polar Urals, and Altai. Yuri Ovchinnikov’s track record boasts a dozen solo exhibitions, international photographic projects, and regular photography workshops.