by Ida Renzicchi
Photography, eighth art. Regina KIRILLOV’s interview
Mrs. Kirillov’s life, born in St. Petersburg, is divided between the United States of America, where she usually resides, and Italy where she has been spending the summer for many years. Regina, a cultured and intelligent person, is a delicate but energetic woman with delicately exotic, north-eastern facial features. Her sober simplicity enhances her grace and elegance while underlining her refinement. Lover of Art in general, Mrs. Kirillov has practically dedicated her life to knowing and appreciating above all the visual arts. In their extraordinary house-museum, another house purchased and used only for this purpose, she and her husband have collected works by numerous artists, organizing exhibitions and conferences and participating in turn in various cultural events both in the USA and in Italy. For some time now, Regina, an extremely attentive observer of detail, has dedicated herself to photography, managing, with her shots, to capture unexpected moments and surprising in seizing refined shades of light. Her photographic works have been the subject of exhibitions in America, especially in California, where the artist lives.
I have known Mrs. Regina Kirillov for many years and it is a new and welcome occasion for me to be able to have a friendly conversation with her which I send to the Geapolis web-users.
Regina, an extremely attentive observer of detail, has dedicated herself to photography, managing, with her shots, to capture unexpected moments and surprising in seizing refined shades of light. Her photographic works have been the subject of exhibitions in America, especially in California, where the artist lives.
Q: Regina, I know your passion for Art and your love for Italy. Where do these feelings come from?
A: The art entered my life when I was 7 years old as soon as I began to study classical ballet with the best theatres. Later in my life, I followed many various roads. As I like opposites, I moved from ballet to physics and got my master’s degree in the field. Then, I studied English language and graduated from the Language School of Scientific Translation. My fascination with art persisted and resulted in studying history of art and my work in this area. In the U.S., I worked at academic libraries.
Moving to the desert, enhanced my life and resulted in practicing photography as an art form. Since then, I participated in a number of art shows – personal and with the groups – in different Californian Art Galleries.
I believe that interest in Art is in my genes. Museums, galleries, art books were stimulating my passion. My starting point was Greek and Roman art. Later, I learnt that the tradition of Roman art was revived as a base of Renaissance art in Italy which I really love. I always felt – and feel now – in awe and uplifted looking at paintings of Renaissance artists. Italy is the cradle of Western Art.
Regina Kirillov, Angels who cut your wings
Regina Kirillov, Mirror
Regina Kirillov, Happy and Merry
Q: How did your specific interest in Photography come about?
A: Driving on desert roads, I found animals killed by cars. I was very hurt. Since there are many quiet roads in a desert, I thought – if driving attentively – we could improve people’s unskillful behavior to kill. I made my decision to do the show on this subject with the message- not to kill. That was my first show.
Q: What emotions does photography give you? Do you consider photography a means of communicating your life experiences or an escape from them?
A: I believe that artists in general cannot explain, though they try, why they do their art. Either you have this passion or you don’t. I believe it is given. I am lucky to have it. In fact, I want to show others how I see the World. I do not want to change people, as I find it impossible, though I believe that differences in vision and views might be interesting and educating for each of us.
Regina Kirillov, In obscurity
Regina Kirillov, Reflection
Regina Kirillov, We remember our loved ones
Q: What are your favorite subjects to shoot? Why?
A: As for subjects, I do not limit myself to this subject or that one. I see the World as a big Castle with many-many rooms. Behind each door there is a different room but they all are in the same Castle. So – I might say – whatever subject I go with, my main philosophical and emotional vision goes intact.
D: In your photos I notice a particular attention to the light.
A: Light does everything. It helps us to see not only all shapes, beauty and ugliness of the World, but realize where we are, who is around and where to go. If you happened to be in a darkness in a hall, you have never been before, you stumble, you fall, you break something. With light, in the very first second, you know if this hall is beautiful or ugly or dirty or sparkling clean. Also, you see all the doors to go in or out. I am also interested in light reflections – how light interact with water, glass, metal, green leaves, faces….
Regina Kirillov, Light Reflected
Regina Kirillov, Exotic Fruit and Me
Regina Kirillov, New Hardships
Q: And also, a particular study of the detail, of the circumstance… is it research that starts from a project or is it simply a matter of knowing how to seize the moment?
A: Women more than men are interested in details. So, I am. Besides I do not see how I seize the moment without showing the details of that moment. Otherwise, you won’t be able to catch this particular moment. For me, they both go hand- in-hand.
Q: Who or what inspires you?
A: I drew my inspiration from my husband, Dimitry, who printed his first art photograph when he was 11-year-old. Since we met, he, his camera and me were always together. Other than that, I was not particularly influenced by any photographer. My own vision was ready to express itself in my art.
Q: Who is your favorite artist? Why?
A: My favorite photographers are Diana Arbus, Edward Weston, Robert Frank. I cannot explain why. The truth, in general, is – let’s say – one child likes white bread while another likes dark bread. Why? Who knows.
Q: Photography has replaced, sometimes in a masterful way, drawing and figurative painting, what do you think about?
A: I just love paintings. I think that – to some degree – painters do have more capabilities and possibilities to express their vision of the world and life. On the other hand, art of each photographer is very individual as well. You never mix up, let’s say, Leo Friedlander with Weegee (Arthur Fellig) with Sanders and etc. Before I saw photographs of my husband Dimitry, I wasn’t paying much attention to photography thinking it was secondary to painting. Images on Dimitry’s photos, the way he treated light in his art, changed my attitude to photography. So, I treat both media with respect. One aspect of modern photography I feel apprehensive about is the use of all new editing photo programs which can easily change of what a photographer saw through the lens to something else.
Regina Kirillov, Caspar Friedrich’s Trees in Morongo
Q: Many of your shots have been aimed at the natural environment and in particular at the Joshua Tree Desert National Park in California where you live. What strikes you about that unusual territory?
A: The sky, horizons, distant hills, feeling of space, rocks… strange shapes of Joshua Trees… You feel the mystic power of the place. Some people who feel it, will come back. Some people who do not feel it, never return—the puzzle of Nature.
Q: Regina how would you describe your photography?
A: With my photographs, I want the viewers to open their eyes. At my shows, they often ask—where did you see that? My answer is: look attentively around, open your eyes and you will see.
Q: What is your favorite photo? And what is the subject?
A: A view of a mountain from my house in Joshua Tree. I love to stop and look at distant horizons. In this photo, I see myself on the planet Venus. Why? Just because. I believe that it is how I see the planet Venus in my dreams.
Q: Is there anything you would like to photograph that you haven’t had a chance yet?
A: I do not think so. I see the whole world in a droplet of water. I do not need to go very far.
Q: What is the message you want to convey through photography?
A: I see the World as a coin which has two sides—good and bad, beautiful and ugly, white and black, birth and death. That is the message of my photography.
Q: We often attend exhibitions where it seems that, wanting to amaze at all costs, themes or subjects bordering on disgust or decency are presented. In your opinion, what is the real limit between art, even breaking art, and pure sensationalism?
A: Yes, I see that tendency. I am not able to change new tendencies. I can speak only for myself. I just stay away from these tendencies despite the fact that they might be very attractive to others. I do not sacrifice my believes, my life philosophy, my vision, my art for the sake of getting profit from what I do and what I show. I do as I like. I have to say though that in a long run – or maybe soon – these new tendencies will destroy the sense of Beauty in our society. Then, we – humans – will deprive ourselves of the gift of Beauty given to us. We will loose so much in our lives. Unfortunately, this loss is coming if we don’t change.
Sunrise in Morongo Valley
Early in the Morning
Planet Venus
Park in New York
Q: What do you judge and on what basis do you evaluate a photographic shoot?
A: I do not judge or evaluate specifically when I shoot. My eye sees something. My eye knows this photo will go with the harmony I have inside. And I shoot. I am not talking about technicalities related to shooting which I certainly follow.
Q: I know that you shared with your beloved Dimitry the passion for Literature, Art and Photography and that he too had several exhibitions in the United States. Was yours a kind of artistic symbiosis, or did each of you love different situations and subjects to take pictures of? What did Dimitry particularly like?
A: I would say the way Dimitry and I saw life and the world was somehow similar. We had very much in common in our philosophy, in our interests, in our general attitudes to life happenings. Doing our art, we saw different aspects of an event or a subject: he – more from a general point of view – while I was paying more attention to details. We complemented each other very well.
Q: We know that you love Italy very much, especially its artistic works. What impressed you the most in our country? What do you think should be most valued?
A: Italian art and culture of the past. And your people – who made this Art in the past – and who have great potential to revive it soon and be remembered in the Future. I really believe in great talent and best capabilities of Italians.
Q: Every year, in addition to Viterbo, you spend a Summer period in Bologna, Venice and Berlin. What attracts you to these places? Why exactly the choice of these cities?
A: I love every little village, every little town, every big city in Italy. Walking through them, I feel as if I am attending and studying in the World University of Art now, at this very moment, so I do not need to be in Ancient Rome. It is so uplifting and contributes to my happiness. Again, I truly respect and admire Italians who created this brilliant Art for me, for us. I am sure that Italians will do it again. As for cities, my favorite city is Bologna. I wish I could live there. I could talk and talk about Bologna. Venice is very special too. Yes, I do love Berlin. I also think that New York is unique and one of the greatest cities of the World. All these cities are so dear to me because of the great culture which I can immerse in, study and enjoy.
Street on Sunday in Italy
Women’s Hair
Medieval Hunting in Viterbo
Q: How do you spend your time in America where you live?
A: In California, my life has a slower pace. In Joshua Tree, we have a tradition of art tours which started a long time ago. More than 150 artists – local and from Los Angeles, New York and other places in the Unites States and abroad – are participating. For four weekends per year, artists open their houses to show their art; very often their houses look like art exhibits themselves displaying local architecture and local trend to decorate their houses. Besides, every second weekend of the months, all art galleries in Joshua Tree have receptions, art walks and musical events. This tradition is spreading to other desert towns – Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Indio – you name it. This is all related to contemporary art though. If I want to see old European art, I need to drive more than 200 km to Los Angeles, Pasadena or -even further – to San Francisco or New York.
Regina Kirillov, Night Falls
Regina Kirillov, Night Falls
Regina Kirillov, Leaving my past
Q: What are your projects?
A: At this time, I do have a period or contemplation and rest, reviving my energy after unfortunate event of passing Dimitry to the better world.
Q: What would you recommend to see and how would you suggest approaching the world of photographic exhibitions for those who feel attracted to it?
A: Please do your art, be true to yourself and show only what you like, without much attention to what art dealers recommend to you. Your talent and persistence will bring you success.
I thank Regina for her courtesy and availability and I wish her all the best.
San Francisco, California, USA 2023/02/15 by Ida Renzicchi