Dmitry Markov
in Gaspé

Through his constant flow of pictures, Dmitry Markov depicts the under-represented sectors of Russian society as through a mirror. Photography became a part of Dmitry’s life recently but has, since 2016, turned into a partner, a constant companion and the point of reference throughout the “ups and downs” of his life. He is a man who makes conscious use of photography: to serve as a witness, certainly, but also for its own sake. He is honest enough to share with us his contradictions and weaknesses. He gazes at the world, trying to find his own place in it, and through the powerfulness of his images succeeds in drawing us into his story. The people he photographs instantly become part of that story, of his family. He looks at them as he looks at himself, with no condescension or moral judgement. He documents his life as a “child of his time” by sharing on Instagram all the pictures he takes on his smartphone. His openness and lack of moralizing about a complicated topic – the lives of people who, for assorted reasons, have found themselves sidelined or marginalized – is admirable. This project is from there, from Russia’s collective past, with its shared joys and difficulties. We might all have been in the same position as the heroes in this book. Some people are just luckier than others.

Only a loner, with his fascinating daily pictures posted on Instagram, can create such a self-portrait, built up over time, and search for himself through the presence of others. He recently reached 400,000 followers on Instagram and is followed by 30,000 people on his Facebook page: Dmitry Markov has become a medium.