Visual Media Artist Danila Tkachenko
Danila
Tkachenko
Даниил Ткаченко · b. 1989 · Moscow
Visual artist and documentary photographer. Rodchenko School. World Press Photo first prize. His work asks a single question, again and again, in colder and colder places: who are you when no one is watching?
The transformation of a teenager's identity — a child becomes an adult. The debut project. The question of who we are beginning to form.
People who live through decades alone with nature, far from civilization. The individual freed from social environment — does this bring them closer to their true self?
Russia's secret cities. Deserted places of former national importance, abandoned machinery — relics photographed in the vacuum white space of eternal winter.
Your greatest inspirations or influences?
Probably the biggest influence on me is cinema. The last films that moved me are Khrustalyov, My Car! by Aleksei German, and Ilya Khrzhanovsky's 4 and Dau.
Now I'm interested in the topic of Stalin's repressions. I believe that this theme has not yet been overcome in contemporary Russia and still has great influence over society.
Most interesting production so far?
Probably my first project, Escape — about hermits who live in total solitude, far away from civilisation. In communication with these people, I got to understand more about how society is organised, and its issues.
"I was traveling in search for people who have decided to escape from social life and live all alone in the wild nature, far away from any villages, towns or other people."
"I am concerned about the issue of internal freedom in modern society: is it at all reachable, when you're surrounded by social framework all the time? School, work, family — once in this cycle, you are a prisoner of your own position."
"I grew up in the heart of the big city, but I've always been drawn to wildlife — for me it's a place where I can hide and feel the real me, my true self, out of the social context."
"Whether the individual freed from social environment becomes closer to his true self — and what happens to personality when it loses its social mask."
How is the art world changing?
I think the very notion of an artist will dissolve, because almost anyone can be an artist representing themselves in social networks. Art becomes more accessible to any person as the subject of mastering artistic techniques becomes secondary. Now everyone can call themselves an artist if they want to.
"I feel like I am an archaeologist encountering the traces of a past civilisation in order to understand the reasons why we create these objects."
Deserted places that were once sites of national importance. Abandoned buildings and machinery. Relics of ambition photographed in the vacuum white space of eternal winter.
"How to remain yourself in the midst of this?"
— Danila TkachenkoAntakly Projects — originally Ninu Nina — has been archiving conversations with the most inspiring voices in art, photography, film and culture since 2003. Danila Tkachenko's work asks questions most people prefer not to sit with.
Thank you to Danila and his studio for the opportunity to speak about his work and inspiration.
And for the personal rants on life, opinions you didn't ask for, and the occasional existential spiral: follow me on Substack.
The individual freed from social environment. ✦
