Pinchasov George. Biography and the creative path of a photographer

Pinkhasov Georgy is a contemporary photographer born in Moscow who became the only Russian who was invited to work for the international agency Magnum Photos. Pinchasov - the owner of prestigious international prizes, behind the master - the organization of personal exhibitions, the release of photo albums, work in well-known foreign publications.

The beginning of the creative path

Pinkhasov was born in 1952, his passion for photo art came in the early years. Apparently, this played a role - after graduation, he entered the Moscow Institute of Cinematography. Not finishing his studies, George goes into the army, and then begins work at the film studio "Mosfilm" as a photographer.

1978 was marked for Pinkhasov by joining the Union of Graphic Artists of Moscow. Here were exhibited his first creative work in the genre of still life and portrait. Among them are such as "Melon" and "Glass with tea", made in sepia technique.

Very soon, Pinchasov George was able to obtain the status of an independent photo artist. This circumstance gave freedom, the opportunity to travel and show their work not only in the USSR, but also outside the country.

Meeting with Tarkovsky and moving to a reportage photo

While working at Mosfilm, Pinchasov's fate is reduced to the fate of director Andrei Tarkovsky. Thanks to friends, some of the photos of George were in the hands of the famous director. Tarkovsky invites the photographer to cooperate on the film "Stalker" in 1979. Pinkhasov accepts the offer and makes a report about the film. Thus, Tarkovsky as if pushed George to move to work with a reportage photograph.

Tarkovsky and Pinchasov talk a lot, discuss issues of film production and photographic art. Despite the fact that the director really likes George's pictures, he somehow remarks that for him the ideal of reportage photography is the work of Henri Cartier-Brisson. This phrase made the young Pinhasov think about and venture into the first experiences of invasion of the life of strangers with a camera in their hands.

Working in the Soviet Union as a report photographer was very difficult. Firstly, the people themselves were suspicious and apprehensive of the man with the camera in his hands. Secondly, the police could simply light up unwanted shots. Nevertheless, George Pinkhasov continued to shoot, his legacy - thousands of colorful photos, vividly conveying the era of the USSR.

Pinchasov George himself in one of the interviews said that thanks to Tarkovsky he saw the world with different eyes, and most importantly, what he learned from the director, is humane attitude to man. The photographer with admiration talks about meetings with great people - Cartier Bresson, Nadezhda Mandelstam, their simplicity and love for knowledge. Believes that their reluctance to rise above others has served him as an example in creativity and life.

Magnum photo agency

In 1985, Pinchasov Georgy marries a Frenchwoman and leaves to live in Paris. In 1988, he submitted a portfolio to the agency Magnum, however, not really counting on success. However, the master was accepted, and one of the founders of Magnum Photos, Cartier Bresson, responded about him as a very talented photographer.

Become a full member of the agency Pinkhas could in a few years. The procedure for entering this cooperative is complex and multistage. To date, Magnum unites a little more than 60 photographers who, like Pinchasov, in their work seek to document the world around them. Photographers of the cult agency present their works to newspapers, television, galleries and museums from around the world.

Cooperation with international publications

In the work Pinchasov appreciates freedom, when viewing his photos, many people have a feeling of uniqueness of the simplest and most ordinary things. Masters attract the individual characteristics of people and objects, the smallest details that can be instantly snatched by light from the dark.

The photographer takes a lot for the most famous international publications. Among them:

• International popular science magazine Geo.
• Journal of Contemporary Art Actuel.
• The largest daily American newspaper New York Times.

Pinchasov himself said that one of the prerequisites for work in international publications was the trip to Chernobyl. It was the New York Times order in the 90s, but it was not possible to remove what was needed. The photographer and his partner, an American journalist, were not allowed to enter the places where they wanted to get to. Then he began to take pictures, everything that was happening around him. As a result, there was an amazing material showing real reality. After this successful reportage, many orders were received with trips around the world: Kenya, Brazil, Vietnam, China.

Photo albums Pinchasova

The creative work of Pinhasov was celebrated many times with prestigious awards. In 1993, the international prize of World Press Photo was awarded to this talented photographer. Moscow, Paris, Geneva, Tallinn - this is the list of cities where his exhibitions were held.

The master produced several photo books, the most famous ones:

• 1998 - Sightwalk ("A look on the move").
• 2006 - Nordmeer ("North Sea").

The first was the result of a trip to Japan, where he shot Tokyo. The second album was born after traveling in the Arctic.

Photographer Pinkhasov is considered a genius of working with light, and he himself often says that he loves clarity in everything. Summarizing all the statements of the master from various media interviews, we can say that Georgi Pinkhasov is a photographer whose biography does not bear a touch of nationality. According to him, this is just personal data. When asked what kind of city it is for him, the photographer answers: "Moscow - Paris".