Katerina Belkina's Art Book: My Work is My Personal Theater
Katerina Belkina: My Work is My Personal Theater
Ani Menua, Anne Avramut, 2020
A trilingual (German, English, Russian) illustrated book
Where photography and painting seamlessly merge, you will find the captivating work of Katerina Belkina. The Russian artist masterfully bridges classical fine art with modern digital processing, creating a visual language that is entirely her own—and sparking fascinating art-historical conversations along the way.
Humanity—and particularly the female experience—sits at the absolute center of her portfolio. What makes Belkina’s approach so uniquely compelling is her direct involvement in every layer of the creative process. She doesn't just create the image; she embodies a triple role as the subject, the director, and the visual artist all at once.
Rooted in feminist principles, Belkina captures everyday life through a distinctly female lens. In her world, women are never portrayed as mere objects to be looked at; instead, they are dynamic forces of pure energy. A brilliant example of this is her striking series "Not a Man's World," where she depicts herself with bold self-assurance—smoking a pipe with a raised, authoritative index finger.
Yet, the true brilliance of Belkina’s work lies in its subtlety. She doesn't use her art to preach, accuse, or point fingers at the world. Instead, her "personal theatre" is a profound tool for introspection, inviting the viewer to join her in seeking the answers to life's most foundational questions: Who is she as a woman, an artist, a mother, and a member of society?
About the Artist
Early on, Katerina Belkina (*1974) knew about her exceptional talent to see the world through different eyes. Born in Samara in the southeast of European Russia, she was brought up in a creative atmosphere by her mother, a visual artist. Her education at the Art Academy and the Michael Musorin School of Photography in Samara gave her the tools to visualize her ideas. Exhibitions of her sublime, mystic self-portraits ensued in Moscow and Paris. Katerina Belkina was nominated for the prestigious Kandinsky Prize (comparable to the British Turner Prize) in Moscow in 2007. She won the International Lucas-Cranach-Prize in 2015 and the prestigious Hasselblad Masters Award in 2016. Currently she lives and works in Dresden, Germany.
About the publisher
SHIFT BOOKS has been designing and publishing art books, exhibition catalogues, artist books, and magazines as print and digital media since 2018. The still young Berlin-based publishing house operates according to the highest quality and environmental standards in cooperation with sustainability-oriented printing houses in Germany. SHIFT BOOKS focuses on promoting artists from Eastern Europe. The team aims to discover Eastern-European artists and offer them visibility in the West.
Publisher: SHIFT BOOKS
ISBN: 978-3-94817-405-7
Dimensions: 23 x 32,5 cm
Hardcover w/ Embossing: 252 Pages
Format: 23 x 32,5 cm
Edition: 1st Edition, Original Edition
Languages: German, English, Russian
Publication Date: October 15th 2020
Female Authors: Katerina Belkina, Ani Menua, Anne Avramut
Design: Helena Melikov
Paper: FSC Mix Certified
Print: Sustainable, Vegan & Climate Neutral
Made & Printed in Germany
ISBN 978-3-94817-405-7
Shipping: Worldwide