Nastassja Nefjodov is a German-Russian lens-based artist living in the Netherlands. She graduated (with honor) from the Fotoacademie Amsterdam in 2021. Currently she is a participant in FOTODOK's Talent Development Program: Lighthouse and the Graduate Mentoring Scheme 2021 from Redeye: The Photography Network. Nefjodov is also an active member of the online educational community and platform Work Show Grow School.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at festival Encontros da Imagem in Braga, Portugal (2021), Neue Schule für Fotografie Gallery in Berlin, Germany (2020) and Rotterdam Photo, The Netherlands (2019). Her book My grandfathers, the war and I won the EI Photobook Award 2020 and her book Into the blue was shortlisted for EI Photobook Award 2021. She has contributed to publications including Mini Albums East Central (2021), United, Work Show Grow Publication (2021) and home is... of Julia Borissova (2020).
Her practice stems from her family stories which relate to ruptures in European history. She focus on the emotional impact, rather than factual, theoretical, or political aspects. Through her art, she wants to invite people to rethink history from a personal perspective of what it does to a person, to families. Not only in the present but across generations, as a second, often neglected layer of war stories.
The entry point of her projects is often the family archive, her and her family members memories which she then reflects on in combination with her own imagery and words. Another central element of her exploration is the immersion into the places of the past using the camera both to find traces of the stories and documenting emotions and reflections of the now.
The results of her projects often turn into three dimensional objects/installations allowing the viewer to experience the multilayered stories by stepping into, immerse themselves within Nefjodov’s world and therewith feel encouraged to connect to and to tell their own stories.
Image 1: From the book „Meine Großväter der Krieg und ich“ 2020
Image 2: Book: „Meine Großväter der Krieg und ich“ Foto by @the_bookphotographer
Image 3: Untitled, from the work „Ins Blaue hinein“, 2021
