Photo: Exhibition Focus Ukraine @Circulation(s) 2024 - Series from Dima Tolkachov- Series "Faces" printed on Acrylic Photo Block

Interview with ukrainian artist Dima Tolkachov

1/ Can you tell more about you ?

I am a visual artist born in 1989 and based in Kyiv, Ukraine. I primarily work with photography as material for building conceptual typologies. I also experiment with digital graphic techniques, videos, and objects.

2/ How did you get started in photography? What does photography and art mean to you?

I don't have a professional artistic education. I'm basically self-taught. When I became interested in art, I found photography an accessible method of expressing ideas. It requires a reasonably low entry threshold. All you need is a camera and a great deal of practice.

I think of photography as a tool. Any instrument aims to help us achieve some goal. Evolving as an artist, I understood that I would like to pose thought-provoking questions through my works. For me, art is a way to trigger someone's attention and make them reflect upon unobvious things.

3/ How would you describe your style? What was the impact of the war on your work?

I aim to discover visual metaphors that must be as simple as possible. The images need to be striking to catch attention and evoke feelings. But there should be something more behind them – a promise of finding further layers of meaning.

When working on a project, there are two strategies I usually follow. Either I collect the material that draws my attention and conceptualize my findings, or I invent a concept first and search for or create works that match the idea. I think it’s important not to take photos but to think about what you saw. So, I try to dig deeper beneath the surface of the images.

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, I have primarily searched for metaphors expressing how the war affects my perception of reality. When documenting the traces of the war, I seek to detect less visible details that usually aren’t shown in the news. I believe they can reveal symptoms of the war on a more personal level.

4/ Is this the first time you’ve shown your work in an exhibition? Can you describe how you feel?

I have experience participating in group shows in Europe. I also co-created a few exhibition projects in Ukraine. But it’s my first time showing my works in Paris, particularly at such a big festival. I’m impressed by the team’s efforts to make the most out of my ideas. Considering that I couldn’t be present in Paris, their assistance in arranging the scenography is priceless. I’m incredibly thankful for everyone in the collective who shared their support with me!