A KALTBLUT exclusive editorial by Ilya Zakharin, a queer photographer and art director based in Berlin. The model is Maksim Gaidukov signed at Two Management. Growth is a relative concept. It cannot be felt or seen without comparison. Who was I yesterday, and who have I become today? How many steps have I taken to outgrow myself? Each new phase of growth is a series of situations, questions, and challenges that one must overcome to better understand oneself and proudly say: „I did it.“
The project ROST is a visual representation of concepts such as responsibility, loneliness, overcoming obstacles, sexuality, expectation, rejection, loss, and new beginnings. Each concept is an expansive ocean that photographer Ilya Zakharin connects with personal challenges and attempts to reflect through his photography. The souls depicted in the project are symbols of the photographer‘s identity, showcasing a great deal of physicality, individuality, and queerness.
Art Direction and Photography by Ilia Zakharin / www.ilyazakharin.com / Instagram: @zakharin.photography
The model is Maksim Gaidukov signed at Two Management / Instagram: @maks_gaidukov_