Tobias Zielony
The photo series Golden and Maskirovka by Tobias Zielony shows the lives of young people in Latvia and Ukraine after the end of the Soviet era in 1991, when these countries became independent after decades of Soviet rule. Zielony’s photos capture how young people search for identity and freedom in societies still shaped by economic struggles and the long shadow of their past.
Golden focuses on queer youth in Riga who use fashion, tattoos, and graffiti to express identity and resist social norms. Maskirovka looks at Kyiv’s underground queer and techno scene during a time of political unrest and before the recent war of aggression in Ukraine. The title refers to the 2014 Russian military operation, in which masked soldiers took control of Crimea, then a region that was part of Ukraine.
Zielony brings a personal connection to the project, drawing from his own youth in Germany and time spent in clubs. Known for staged documentary photography, he often explores youth subcultures and themes of darkness.
Gabriel, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Virtuve, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Wood, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Daniels, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Jackets, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Kriksis, 2018, Archival pigment print, 69 x 46 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Away, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Man, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Shine, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
UFO, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Model, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
Light, 2017, Archival pigment print, 84 x 56 cm, Edition of 6 + 2AP, Courtesy of artist and KOW Berlin.
