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Oleg Savunov (b. 1983) is a Russian photographer and visual artist from Saint Petersburg, currently based in London, Saint-Petersburg and Moscow. He graduated from Moscow State Pedagogical University in 2006 with a law degree, then studied press photography at the Faculty of Press Photographers of Saint Petersburg, Russia (2012), and continued his education at the Fotodepartament Institute in Saint Petersburg, where most of his current interests developed (2015). In 2023, Oleg received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Stanford University.

Oleg’s photographic practice spans from classical documentary projects to conceptual art projects based on photographic images. Through formal aesthetic and stylistic neutrality, he creates conditions for the viewer to think independently about questions of visual perception, current social issues, and the socio-cultural implications of the landscape. Oleg explores the techniques of photographic investigation to determine how a multi-layered visual narrative can convey information beyond the capacity of language. His artistic practice also includes video and installation works.

Most recently, Oleg’s book Nostalgia for Ruins got shortlisted for the Dummy Award ’24. His work is owned by private collectors and has been exhibited in Russia, Spain, Italy, and the US, and published in magazines such as Amuse, InRussia, The Guardian, F-Stop, Calvert Journal, GEO, and The Village.


Contact Information:

+79151254247
o.savunov@gmail.com


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CV

Oleg Savunov

Born in 1983, Leningrad, Russia

Currently lives and works in San Francisco, CA


Education


2023
Stanford University, Master of Fine Arts, CA, US

2012
Saint Petersburg House of Journalists, Press photographer diploma, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

2006 
Master in Law, Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow, Russia

Solo Exhibitions

2023 
17 June 2021/24 February 2022
Minnesota Street Project, Jones Institute Gallery, San Francisco, CA, US

2022
[de]constructed landscape, Uppermarket gallery, San Francisco, CA, US

Group Exhibitions

2024

“Counter Cartographies”, 2024 Headlands Graduate Fellow Exhibition, ICA SF, San Francisco, CA, US

Artists Pop-up show, Headlands Center for the, Sausalito, CA,US

2023

"Life is Ridiculously Awesome", MFA Thesis Exhibition, Stanford Art Gallery, Stanford, CA, US

2022 
"Ultraviolent"  pop-up exhibition, Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco, CA, US

Second Year MFA Exhibition, Coulter Gallery, Stanford, CA, US

2021
First Year MFA exhibition, Stanford Art Gallery, CA, US

2019 
"Blooming" international digital art festival, Pergola, Italy

"Presence" international contemporary photography festival, Berthold Center, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

2018 

"Spacing" group exhibition, Quartariata art residency, Petergof, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

2014 
"Institute.Production" group exhibition, Center of Contemporary Culture "Change", Kazan, Russia

"Red eye effect" group exhibition, Fotodepartament Gallery, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

"Young photography" group exhibition, Don State Public Library, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

2013
"On the block" group exhibition, New Holland exhibition space, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

"Young photography, Selected" group exhibition, Baltic Photography Biennial "Photomania", Kaliningrad, Russia

2012 
"Below The Surface, Young Photography" group exhibition, Mayakovsky Public Library, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Catalonian Institute of Photography (IEFC), First overseas group exhibition of St.Petersburg Faculty of Press Photographers, Barcelona, Spain


Awards and Residencies


2024
Foam Paul Huf Award Shortlist

Dummy Award ’24 shortlist with Nostalgia For Ruins publication

2023
Anita Squires Fowler Memorial Award in Photography

Headlands Center for the Arts’ Graduate Fellow

2022
Pauline Brown Fund Recipient for Advanced Research in American Art, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

2022 
“Artist Grant” 2nd place grant recipient, https://artistgrant.org/

2021
Pauline Brown Fund Recipient for Advanced Research in American Art, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

2017
HIAP Art Residency, Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland

2012
"4.10" project, shortlist "Viewbook Photostory 2012: Small Stories" competition

Publications

2021
"Ozersk" Calvert Journal magazine

2018
"Amendment 64" Inrussia Magazine

2017 
"Amendment 64" Amuse 
"Failed Interference" Landscape Stories 
"Phantasm Figure" project, F-Stop Magazine
“Nepal” GEO Magazine

2015 
"Failed interference" project, New Landscape Photography Blog
“Inside the zone: otherworldly scenes from a Russian film set” Calvert Journal
"Inside the zone" The Guardian

2014 
"An island story" Calvert Journal

2013 
"On the Block" The Village magazine

2012 
"4.10"  PHOTO/arts Magazine, Self Contained