A modern art-photographer and portrait-painter as well as a texts writer and interviewer of prominent contemporary artists and cultural luminaries
The methodology basis of Antonov’s pictures is their complete “naturality”. The main focus is not on who is being photographed, but how, and no drastic changes through computer photo-editors.
Antonov’s skills and cross-functional camera working knowledge make him one of the most well-known portrait-photographers in Russia, Europe and USA.
Dalai Lama, Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Bill Gates and Caroline (Princess of Monaco), Frank Zappa and Herbie Hamcock, Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Isabelle Huppert, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Philip Glass and many others have been among his models.
A frequent participant of gallery projects and magazine art concepts.
A famous Russian, who became a staff photographer of the media empire Condé Nast Publications, the second Russian photographer over its entire history.
BIOGRAPHY
Born on May, 1st, 1962 in Volgograd.
Finished school in Karaganda.
Moved to Moscow in 1987, where he studied at Moscow State Culture Institute at the department of photo-and cinema journalism.
While being a student and working in a famous theatre “School of Dramatic Art” under Anatoly Vasiliev, Antonov, as a photographer and actor, took a part in the Avante Garde theatre campaign “Slavic Project” by Polish direct Jerzy Grotowski and in the underground Russian-Italian project “Ilyich bulb” with a prominent educator Mikhail Butkevich.
Since 1989 – staff photographer of theatre lab “School of Dramatic Art”.
Pictures of Vasiliev’s theatre performances make Antonov famous first in the USSR and then in Europe. At the invitation of Ingmar Bergman Antonov leaves Russia and works in “The Swedish Royal Theatre”, also as a personal photographer of the unique cinema and theatre director.
In 1996 in Grozny on order from Switzerland TV Antonov shoots a story about Heidi Tagliavini, who was working in OSCE mission, and makes portraits of Chechen rebels leaders: Shamil Basaev, Movladi Udugov, and Aslan Maskhadov. During the field work was wounded but didn’t stop working.
In 1998 for the record label Bohemia Music creates a series of famous jazz musicians' portraits, among those Alexey Kozlov, Igor Brill, German Lukyanov, Anatoly Gerasimov, Arkady Shilkloper, Alex Rostotsky, Alexey Kuznetsov, Daniil Kramer.
At the end of 1998 Antonov moves to the USA (New-York). By that time his portfolio includes works with directors Pina Bausch, Peter Stein, Peter Brook.
In New York he continues his work with jazz musicians. His collection boasts portraits of George Duke, George Benson, Tania Maria, Hiram Bullock, Larry Coryell, Joe Zawinul, Ron Carter etc.
In 2001 Antonov meets Robert Wilson and in cooperation with him creates a series of multimedia projects in Watermill Center, shoots American theatre works by the iconic director, decorates his books.
In 2006 started to work at the publishing house Condé Nast Publications. Antonov’s photos glammed up different issues covers, those of magazines Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire и газету Women’s Wear Daily.
Works with the following companies St.Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lucky Strike, Revlon, Saatchi, and Saatchi и др.
BOOKS
Project author: “100 Portraits of Russia” (a gallery of prominent Russian writers, poets, musicians and politicians of the 90s).
Pavel Antonov is currently working at the photobook dedicated to art festival “Burning Man”, the shooting of which was covered by “Phaidon press” in the chapter of their book about modern art tendencies.
PRINTED MEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Antonov’s works have been published in American Theatre, Business week, Das Magazin, DNR, Das Teatre, Elle, Facts, Harpers Bazaar, Los Angeles Times, Marie Claire, New York magazine, New York Times, Playboy, Opera Music, Opera Chik, Time, Time Out New York, Time Out Moscow, Toronto Star, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Vogue, W-magazine, WWD, «Independent newspaper» and many others.
EXHIBITIONS
1991:
10x10 — group exhibition (Zurich)
10x10 — group exhibition in Journalists’ Union (Moscow
1996:
Personal exhibition “The Russians” at the 1st International Photo Biennale (Moscow)
1997:
«Fashion» — personal exhibition in HHH studio
«Stars Gallery» — personal exhibition in Metropol hotel (Moscow)
«The Russians» — exhibition and book presentation (Planet Hollywood, Moscow)
1998:
The 2nd International Photo Biennale (Moscow)
«Jazz stars» — permanent exhibition in the record label company Bohemia Music (Moscow)
2000:
«The Russians in America» (Russian Social club" NY Times) — personal exhibition of Russian artists’ portraits (Russian Samovar, New York)
2001:
«Russian Madness» — exhibition and installation in и инсталляция Robert Wilson’s Watermill centre (Robert Wilson’s Watermill center, New York)
«The Russians in New York» — Donna Karan boutique opening with the exhibition of Russian painters’ portraits (DKNY boutique, Soho, Нью-Йорк)
«Muses» — participation in the group exhibition (Leslie-Lohman Gallery, Нью-Йорк)
2002:
«Small Works» — participation in the group exhibition (MiMi Ferzt Gallery, Нью-Йорк)
«Different Russians» and «Nude» — personal exhibition (LeVall Gallery, Novosibirsk), which the gallery then had a tour over Siberia and Far East with.
2003:
Exhibition with Andrey Bartenev “Paint it Red” in Robert Wilson’s Watermill center
2006:
Joint exhibition and installation with Brazilian painters OsGemeos in Robert Wilson’s Watermill centre (Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center, New York)
2008
Russian “ZOOM” magazine staff arranges an exhibition of “Artists’ Portraits” by Pavel Antonov in the international flights hall of Vnukovo Airport (Moscow).
For a few years Pavel withdraws from exhibitions and works for fashion magazines, society columns and continues his series of artists' portraits – he is looking for his place in the world and his theme. It turned out to be impossible to get a permission to arrange an exhibition of fashion and Hollywood stars’ pictures from Conde Nast publications and these works exist only in the magazines issues and online.
In 2009 at the invitation of a great clown Slava Polunin Pavel takes part in the art festival which takes place in the desert in the state of Nevada (the USA) and shoots there his huge project which continues and develops the theme of artists’ portraits.
2011
Exhibition of “Artists’ Portraits” in Gallery Inutero (Moscow)
2011
“”Burning Man” Art-Residence (Perm’)
2013
«City of Sand» in Troyka multispace (Moscow)
Gallery «Zeppelin» (Moscow)
2013
Robert Wilson’s theatre in pictures by Pavel Antonov, State Center Theatre Museum n.a.Bakhrushin (Moscow)