JIM HAYNES

Fueki-Ryuko, Berlin, 2007

Greenland Dock, London, 2003

Rotherhithe, London, 2006

Rosenthaler Platz, Berlin, 2007

NATALIA SHKOLA

photographer

London

natalia.shkola@gmail.com

City Hall, London, 2006

Rue Jacob, Paris, 2010

Sheena the Cat, London, 2009

Natalia Shkola was born in the Urals, in Northern Russia, where her family had been sent into 'internal exile' during the Stalin era; graduated with a Masters degree in mathematics, then worked for a decade in Russian experimental theatre in Yekaterinburg while working on a PhD on "the Problems of Interpretation in Art".
In 1994, she moved to London with her partner, the Russian artist Oleg Micheyev, who first introduced her to photography.
Natalia continues to live and work out of London and has one daughter, Anastasia, aged 21.

Katya Galliers:

Black and white photography is difficult to define. The more black and white photography I see, the broader my definition becomes. Natalia's images are not so much about what is contained in the image, but what it portrays about a unique place. They are perfectly chosen reflections of her own truly endless exploration of urban life. However, you might try hard to convince yourself that little river near your tube station could possibly be fodder for photography at all, but - according to Natalia - it could. Every picture of hers reveals something significant about a place, its inhabitants, or its conditions and evokes an emotional response in the viewer. Reflections for some point can bring alive an otherwise lifeless photo and turn it into astonishing shots. Natalia brings it to another level and shows that reflections are in fact extremely breathtaking images with amazing effects, displaying an entirely modern dimension to everyday objects.

Sophie Lampton:

Natalia's pictures are more scenic, reflecting moments rather than depictions of an object. She captures certain features of her subject or object which one would never notice without a photograph. The unusual-ity of her pictures is what makes them most unique; providing an insight that even some film directors can't copy.

Jesse Dupre:

Natalia's black and white pictures often depict a mystical timelessness, ranging from exterior shots of nature, to intimate images of interior spaces. Her manipulation of light and shadow create a unique atmosphere in every photograph. They are at the same time strange and beautiful.