Photon

The contemporary photography and media art festival in Kaliningrad Photon is a large-scale photographic event for the new generation of artists. The project’s task is to bring the Kaliningrad society to a new cultural level and increase the interest of young artists in photography and media art. Denis Tikhomirov and Tatiana Sobenina curate the festival. They created 15 exhibitions of local authors and artists from other cities. They also prepared an extensive educational program with lectures about contemporary photography. In 2021, the festival continued with a big educational project named F/School: famous Russian photographers shared their knowledge on art photography, fashion photography, and photojournalism in a workshop format and had practical classes with students from Russia and Kaliningrad. The F/School lectures were available for everyone.

Denis Tikhomirov

Age: 39 years

Photographer, sculptor, lecturer at Moscow Alexander Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia.

Denis Tikhomirov works as an artist who uses photography, sculpture, and philosophical background in his practice. He realizes curatorial projects in the sphere of contemporary photography and art. Denis lectures on photography in art context at the Rodchenko Moscow School of Photography and Multimedia. Denis Tikhomirov supervised, in particular, Danila Tkachenko’s documentary photography workshop as part of F/School. It was a three-day photo marathon in the field of the Kaliningrad region, with endless reflections and catharsis from what was happening and the result obtained. At the same time, Denis held an exhibition in the Inclus pop-up showroom, where he collected a mix of iconic works of the workshop participants. Previously he collaborated with galleries Rosenau and Art in space — more than ten projects dedicated to contemporary photography, street, and modern art.

Tatiana Sobenina

Age: 40 years

Project manager in advertising and art, graphic designer, curator, and photographer.

Participant of collective and personal exhibitions in Russia and abroad, member of the Union of Photo Artists of Kaliningrad and Russia. In her photo projects, she explores the psychology of contemporary society through personal storytelling. She is also working on a book. She teaches photography in the studio of photo and video production at the School of Creative Industries. As a festival director and curator, Tatiana develops horizontal connections with photographers from other Russian cities. Designer and participant in exhibitions and projects of the Union of Photographic Artists in the art space Gate.