Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition by the St. Petersburg-based photographer Leonid Zhukov, winner of several prestigious international sports photography awards
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Nearly 50 images with a shared philosophy of overcoming obstacles both within and without
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A quest for balance and harmony unfolding on the brink of human capacity
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An artist who has turned his two major passions – photography and climbing — into a profession
Far from just documenting adventure sports, the St. Petersburg-based photographer Leonid Zhukov partakes in them. His interest in sporting activities can be traced back to his teenage enthusiasm for mountain biking and trials – both disciplines requiring a near-blending of man and vehicle. Just as he was mastering the intricacies of bike piloting, Leonid started learning the ropes of photography, delving into his grandfather’s collection of old cameras. As he first got hold of a vintage Zenit, he, in his own words, felt an urge to ‘not just press the shutter button, but do it consciously and thoughtfully.’ Later, armed with insider knowledge of sports events both as participant and organiser, Zhukov turned his two passions into a profession. His pursuit of thoughtful photography did not turn him into an impassive reporter: he still approaches sports from an artist’s perspective, experiencing competitions as a kind of theatre performance, complete with stage sets, all-transforming lighting, and, most importantly, emotions. ‘I prefer creativity-driven projects in which free associations, ideas, and fantasies produce unusual images. At a certain point, the photographer turns into a stage director while his creation ceases to be merely a picture and becomes a true stage show,’ shares Leonid.
For instance, Zhukov’s series celebrating climbing – his second infatuation after cycling – chart a quest for balance and harmony unfolding on the brink of human capacity.
Climbing has made a long formative journey, from the time of daring adventurers conquering natural mountain summits all the way to the creation of complex artificial routes. It was officially recognised as a sports discipline in the latter half of the 20th century and, in 2016, added to the list of Olympic sports. As any other competitive sport, it requires endurance coupled with strategic thinking, triggering moments of extreme concentration of the athletes’ capabilities that the photographer appreciates the most. Nowadays, climbing epitomises not only physical strength, but a whole philosophy of overcoming obstacles both within and without. It is this incessant drive for the summit that Leonid Zhukov captures in his pictures. In doing so, one obviously cannot ignore the play of light and shadows and the unusual geometry of climbing routes – in other words, the formal language of framing that turns photography into pure art.
Leonid Zhukov has been the official photographer of the Climbing Federation of Russia since 2018, capturing both local climbing competitions in St. Petersburg and multiple national championships and world cups in Russia and Europe. Leonid’s works won several prestigious photography awards. In 2021, he was among the finalists of Red Bull Illume, the world’s largest adventure and action sports photography contest, and became the prizewinner of the 11th Energy of Triumph National Sport Journalism Festival and Competition. In 2022, two of his images were shortlisted in the international World Sports Photography Awards competition.
