Daria Tuminas is a Russian based photographer and freelance researcher currently living in St. Petersburg, Russia. She graduated in 2011 with a MA in Film and Photographic Studies from Leiden University. Previously She received two other degrees at SPb State University with works on theory of vernacular photography. As a researcher she writes on photography (magazine ‘Ф.’; Photographer.ru) and curates (together with Zhenia Sveshinsky) the project Dutch Photography Experiense – a series of events and exhibitions representing contemporary Dutch photography in Russia. In the spring of 2011, Daria worked as an editorial intern with Foam Magazine. Daria is represented by Salt Images Agency and by FotoDepartament Gallery and is working currently on a long-term project ‘No Tail No Scale’.
The project in progress ‘No Tail No Scale’ grew from my ‘double identity’ as a folklorist and a photographer.
I spend a month in each of 5 cities I selected in the area between St. Petersburg and Moscow: Veliky Novgorod, Vologda, Tver, Jaroslavl, Vladimir. For each of them I find a local legend that serves as a starting point for my photographic investigation and a reflection on certain male practices and behavioral strategies.
Arriving at the spot I begin with a basic research: read at local libraries, find a text that puzzles me and collect related materials. After that I start visualizing my inquiries. The edit presented here comes from the chapter First Half, or How to Fight Under the Ground.
This Vologda chapter is based on a legend about two unknown men dressed in white who appeared from beneath the ground and defeated a multiple enemy. These two characters mirror each other without any apparent reason. Many other Vologda plots repeat the ‘double hero’ issue, sometimes the men become adversaries. I question this need for two, for the other half, a dialogue, and a superpower. I wonder: will the two characters fight against an enemy or with one another? What do they do underground? I study men’s need for brotherhood and for conflict. The project was initially supported by Lucie Foundation.
Daria’s previous work ‘Ivan and the Moon’ has received awards and mentions, including: 1st prize, Viewbook Photostory Competition winner, Lucie Foundation; finalist, Burn Magazine Grant; honorable mention, Ian Parry Scholarship, as well as was published (Hotshoe, GUP) and exhibited worldwide (Houston FotoFest; Lodz Fotofetiwal; Getty Images Gallery; several shows in the Netherlands and in Russia. See can view more of her work on her website.