Boris Smelov (1951–1998) was a outstanding Russian photographer and one of many key figures of the Soviet underground artwork scene.
His images, together with nonetheless lifes, portraits, and concrete landscapes, captured the distinctive ambiance of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), evoking profound nostalgia. Smelov started pursuing pictures on the age of 10 and, as a younger man, grew to become a part of a circle of impartial artists, collaborating with the Vyborg Palace of Tradition’s picture membership. His work, usually in comparison with the poetry of Joseph Brodsky, grew to become an emblem of the town’s unofficial tradition.
Regardless of repression, together with a ban on his exhibitions in 1976, he continued creating and showcasing his work in clandestine residence exhibitions. In 1977, he acquired a Gold Medal on the XI Worldwide Picture Salon in Bucharest, marking worldwide recognition of his expertise. In the course of the Perestroika period, Smelov’s work gained broader acclaim, with exhibitions held in Russia and overseas. At the moment, his images are a part of main collections, together with the Artwork Institute of Chicago.
The tragic dying of Boris Smelov occurred on January 18, 1998. He froze to dying in a single day on Vasilyevsky Island, having ended up outdoors with out winter clothes. The circumstances resulting in this tragedy stay unclear.
