Yuri Rost
Encyclopedia
Yuri Rost is a photographer, journalist, author and traveller. Rost’s photographic vision is closely related to the humanist tradition established by post-war photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson
, Leonard Freed
, and Ed van der Elsken
. He was selected by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2005) for inclusion in his last exhibition, Les choix d’Henri Cartier-Bresson (Paris, 2003) after meeting him in Paris.
, a special award founded by Federico Fellini
and Tonino Guerra
, inspired by design of Sergei Paradjanov. In 2000, Rost was awarded the State Prize of Russia for his cycle of photographs “Group Portrait Against the Backdrop of the Century” (“Групповой портрет на фоне века”), as well as an independent national prize “Triumph – 2000”, for his distinguished accomplishments in the visual arts and literature. In 2008, Rost’s book “Group Portrait Against the Backdrop of the Century”, based on the 2000 cycle of photographs, received the national “Book of the Year” award.
As a writer and social analyst, Rost gives his photographs an extra dimension by writing literary essays portraying and explaining the social context of the featured person. He focuses on peasants, tramps, actors and academics, treating them all with equal respect. Rost has created numerous photo portraits that became the iconic images of the major actors, performers, film and theater directors, musicians, writers, artists and liberal public figures of the day. For example, he has photographed poet Bella Akhmadulina, actress Faina Ranevskaya
, ballet dancer Galina Ulanova
, academician Dmitry Likhachov, and academician Andrei Sakharov
.
” in Moscow.
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism. He was an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography...
, Leonard Freed
Leonard Freed
Leonard Freed was a documentary photojournalist and longtime Magnum member. He was born to Jewish, working-class parents of Eastern European descent.-Career:...
, and Ed van der Elsken
Ed van der Elsken
Eduard "Ed" van der Elsken was a Dutch photographer and filmmaker.His imagery provides quotidian, intimate and autobiographic perspectives on the European zeitgeist spanning the period of the Second World War into the nineteen-seventies in the realms of love, sex, art, music , and alternative...
. He was selected by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2005) for inclusion in his last exhibition, Les choix d’Henri Cartier-Bresson (Paris, 2003) after meeting him in Paris.
Work
Yuri Rost has exhibited his works at galleries and museums worldwide. He is the author of numerous books and publications, and is one of the few recipients of AmarcordAmarcord
Amarcord is a 1973 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale about Titta, an adolescent boy growing up among an eccentric cast of characters in the fictional town of Borgo in 1930s Fascist Italy...
, a special award founded by Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
and Tonino Guerra
Tonino Guerra
Tonino Guerra is an Italian poet, writer and screenwriter who has collaborated with some of the most prominent film directors of the world.-Biography:Guerra was born in Santarcangelo di Romagna....
, inspired by design of Sergei Paradjanov. In 2000, Rost was awarded the State Prize of Russia for his cycle of photographs “Group Portrait Against the Backdrop of the Century” (“Групповой портрет на фоне века”), as well as an independent national prize “Triumph – 2000”, for his distinguished accomplishments in the visual arts and literature. In 2008, Rost’s book “Group Portrait Against the Backdrop of the Century”, based on the 2000 cycle of photographs, received the national “Book of the Year” award.
As a writer and social analyst, Rost gives his photographs an extra dimension by writing literary essays portraying and explaining the social context of the featured person. He focuses on peasants, tramps, actors and academics, treating them all with equal respect. Rost has created numerous photo portraits that became the iconic images of the major actors, performers, film and theater directors, musicians, writers, artists and liberal public figures of the day. For example, he has photographed poet Bella Akhmadulina, actress Faina Ranevskaya
Faina Ranevskaya
Faina Georgievna Ranevskaya is recognized as one of the greatest Soviet Russian actors in both tragedy and comedy. She was also famous for her aphorisms....
, ballet dancer Galina Ulanova
Galina Ulanova
Galina Sergeyevna Ulánova is frequently cited as being one of the greatest 20th Century ballerinas. Her flat in Moscow is designated a national museum, and there are monuments to her in Saint Petersburg and Stockholm....
, academician Dmitry Likhachov, and academician Andrei Sakharov
Andrei Sakharov
Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov was a Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident and human rights activist. He earned renown as the designer of the Soviet Union's Third Idea, a codename for Soviet development of thermonuclear weapons. Sakharov was an advocate of civil liberties and civil reforms in the...
.
Life
A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Yuri Rost holds degrees from Leningrad State University and Kiev Institute of Physical Culture. In 1967–1979, he worked as a special correspondent for the newspaper “Komsomolskaia Pravda”. From 1979, he worked as a columnist and photojournalist for the weekly periodical “Literaturnaia Gazeta”. From 1994, he was the author of the TV program “Rost’s Stable” (“Конюшня Юрия Роста”). From 1995, he was a member of the board of trustees of the weekly newspaper “Obshchaia Gazeta”. From 1997, he was a columnist and photojournalist for “Moscow News”. Currently, Yuri Rost serves on the Editorial Board and as a columnist for “Novaya GazetaNovaya Gazeta
Novaya Gazeta is a Russian newspaper well known in the country for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs....
” in Moscow.
External links
- Seven photographs by Rost on a page about his 2009 exhibition «Групповой портрет»
- Video of exhibition of his photos in Moscow House of Photography, 22 January 2009 – 22 February 2009, including Yuri Rost talking (in Russian)