A Polaroid photography project by Fedya Ili. Born in USSR in 1980. Based in Berlin. “In 2015 Fedya Ili published the catalogue ‘Naked Petersburg’, containing both intimate photographs and statements of the people portrayed, which mirrors the contemporary social environments in St. Petersburg, Russia. In the new catalogue, ‘Naked Berlin’ is following the same concept. The statements aren’t that different from those of the Russian men. Obviously the treacherous security of one of Europe’s gay capitals, Berlin, is about to abscond. The dystopia of the gay mens community is noticeable. The artist threw a cast shadow of a random situation at the present. And he had chosen men, who are usually not in the focus of glitter and glamour of todays lifestyle mags and portals. The artist’s sensibility, a rarely found instrument of today artists, grants these portraits a reliability, not only in terms of the artistry. The artist becomes a chronicler of social environments. This project will be continued: In the second half of 2016 there will be published the 3rd catalogue, this time with portraits of men living in the French capital. ‘Naked Paris’ will be the next impressive testimony of Fedya Ili.” says Franz Werner
Fedya Ili: 15 years experience in art-direction of glossy magazines and web, interior, graphic design. 2012 brought me to the decision — devote myself to photography.
Cosmopolite (lived in Moscow, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Thailand, Kiev, Lisbon, Saint Petersburg).
Works in private collections in New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Chicago, Bangkok, Rio-de-Janeiro, Buenos Aires, San Remo, Munich, Cologne, Riga, Minsk, Kiev, Kazan, Los Angeles and Moscow.
Publication: Mein Schwules Auge, TETU, Du&Ich, BLU, BUTT, Pagina 12.
Exhibitions:
• Naked Petersburg, Benicassim Pride / Galerie Mooiman / Berlin, June 2016
• SKIN (group show), The Ballery, Berlin, March 2016
• My gay eye (group show), The Ballery, Berlin, 2015
• DoubleVision (group show), New York, 2015
• TrashEra (group show), Berlin, 2015
• 12 Meses de Buenos Aires, Flux, Buenos Aires, 2014
• BODY SEX (group show), Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, 2014
Books:
• Naked Berlin GET IT HERE
• Naked Paris
• Naked Petersburg
• My Bois My Friend
