Legend. Leonid Bogdanov

The romance of white nights, unique images of historic Petersburg, and the special aura of the Northern Palmyra… The State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO presents the exhibition project “Legend. Leonid Bogdanov. Photographs from the 1960s–1990s”.

The name of Leonid Bogdanov (1949–2003) first appeared on the Leningrad photography scene in the late 1960s – early 1970s, following his presentation of creative works at international salons of art photography. He gained wider recognition following a critical publication in the official journal of the USSR Union of Journalists, “Zhurnalist”, and his participation in the exhibition “Under the Parachute” that took place in 1974 and was the first group apartment exhibition of Leningrad’s unofficial photography. Since then, interest in Leonid Bogdanov’s work has never waned, and the photographer’s career, thanks to his broad knowledge, responsiveness, and professionalism, has become legendary.

The exhibition spans more than 30 years of the master’s creative career and, for the first time, unites two significant aspects of his photographic practice: fine art and applied photography. The exhibition features over 150 works, including original gelatin silver prints from the 1960s–1970s, color slides from the 1970s–1980s created by the artist as part of his work on albums for the legendary Leningrad publishing house “Aurora”, and large-format color prints from the 1990s. Collectively, these components present a vast panorama of Leningrad. The view is complemented by portraits of the city’s residents, genre scenes, and rare photographs of theatrical productions at the Leningrad TYuZ, created by Leonid Bogdanov while working at the theater.