Lida Khaykara - Breath

Lidia (Lida) Khaikara was born in 1986 in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg. Since 2010, she has worked extensively with analogue photography, combining film shooting with manual printing, experimenting with alternative techniques and exploring the materiality of the photographic image — the interaction between light, chemical processes, and the texture of photographic paper. Between 2014 and 2016, her work concentrated on self-portraiture within natural landscapes, where the human figure enters into dialogue with space and environment, investigating corporeality, identity, and emotional interaction with nature. Later, Lidia turned toward digital photography, developing her own visual language in portraiture and artistic nude photography. Her works are distinguished by a subtle treatment of light, careful attention to bodily form, and an expressive use of color. Her work has been presented in solo exhibitions in Russia and Sweden, as well as in group exhibitions, including the 4th Contemporary Photography Biennale at the State Russian Museum. Photographs by Lidia Khaikara are held in the collections of the State Russian Museum and in private collections worldwide.