10 Questions with Michael Banifatov
Michael Banifatov is a visual artist and photographer. He holds a degree in economics and management and is also a musician. Originally from Russia and born in Saint Petersburg, he has been living and working in Israel since 2019. His photo projects focus on places, structures, and spaces within the context of history and sociocultural phenomena.
Michael's work is characterized by a personal approach that combines documentary and artistic practices. He particularly explores themes such as the abstraction of everyday life and the irrationality of reality, as evident in his series titled "Dreams Of Ordinary World." This open project reflects his perspective: "I think my items are quite surreal. It may not seem so at first glance, but I am attracted to the very beginning of the process when reality only begins to go out from itself. I want to capture this moment."
He employs various distortion techniques in his work, akin to manipulating sound. Michael enjoys assembling individual images into a larger picture, comparing it to solving puzzles and finds joy in the process. Occasionally, he presents very limited spaces where the whole world converges at one point, creating a profound and endless exchange of perspectives.
Michael Banifatov - Portrait
INTERVIEW
First of all, tell our readers a little bit about you. When and how did you start getting involved with photography?
In the beginning, it was in childhood. I liked that click. In addition to that, it was a film. It was a ritual. Later, I took photos in school, in the upper grades. It was more like how we use iPhones now, without a specific idea, just scenes from life. I think I need to find those photos, or make them again, to understand myself. I believe that's why I'm doing everything now.
You mainly work with photography, despite holding a degree in economics and management and also being a musician. Why did you choose this medium? And what does it represent to you?
Music is quite visual, and visual art really sounds! Marketing ties it all together. I've come to the conclusion that these are just medium, atmospheres, air. It's equally good to breathe both of them, to evolve and refine the breathing techniques.
Yo yo, Digital photography, 2021 © Michael Banifatov
What is your personal aim as an artist?
For me, art is therapy. When I'm in the process of creation, I feel good, I become filled. More precisely, it's a kind of right devastation, after which one wants to be filled again. And so on endlessly. It's a life.
Let's talk about your work. What, for you, is the most enjoyable part of your art?
Catch the wave. When you're developing an idea, starting a project, still deep in the process but already sensing that the outcome is there, and it's going to be cool no matter what. In this heap, there's definitely some golden sand; you just need to sift through it carefully so that by the end of the work, you don't lose it all.
Where do you find inspiration for your work, and what is your creative process like?
I learn visual arts, I'm inspired by the metarealism of Giorgio de Chirico. The photographer Takuma Nakahira is like a whole world. I'm interested in the works of contemporary artists, learning a lot from them. I appreciate what Guy Bolongaro does, as well as the duo Synchrodogs. Also I have a fondness for festival cinema. Recently, I watched "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" by Laura Poitras – it left a strong impression, and the film "Godland" by Hlynur Pálmas is a very subtle and multifaceted piece of work. I keep track of news and events worldwide. I find it intriguing to understand what's happening in different countries and fields – conflicts, sociological, behavioral, and historical aspects, and how all of this influences people. I enjoy analyzing and comparing everything. It's from these impressions that ideas for my projects emerge.
Decline, Digital photography, 2020 © Michael Banifatov
Inside or Outside, Digital photography, 2023 © Michael Banifatov
What does your art aim to say to the viewers? And how did you come up with this idea?
I think my art is not about to say, but about to be heard. I don't want shouts and loud statements. I don't believe in persistently conveying a specific thought or idea. I prefer more intricate constructions. I have my cloud of tags, a tree of associations, so to speak, and the viewers can form their own. They can interpret my artworks and invent them new. Even paint something on them if they've purchased it! After I finish the work, the piece can continue to live its own life. I try not to burden them with the weight of my own interpretations, those "what the author meant here." I provide only food for thought, fantasies, a conditional vector. And then it's up to you. I have such idea, sketch: I shoot walls on which time has layered various inscriptions, paint, dust, dirt, scraps of paper, stains – anything. All blends into patterns where, at different angles, refracting perspective, lighting, etc., you can see completely different abstractions and plots. This stimulates mind surfing. That's how my works are.
Where did you get your imagery and visual language from? And how has it evolved over the years?
I consider my visual language to be in an active phase of formation, on the path to becoming. I grasp at anything that comes to mind while simultaneously trying to analyze my ideas, identifying myself in them, and learning to recognize what truly excites and stimulates me. At the moment, it seems like everything is diverse and unconscious, but I am learning to crystallize myself in my ideas and works. So, perhaps, in the next interview, I will answer such a question in more detail.
Run, Digital photography, 2022 © Michael Banifatov
Abstract interior, Digital photography, 2019 © Michael Banifatov
What do you hope that the public takes away from your work?
I want the public to regularly take away my works from physical and NFT galleries, sharing their unforgettable experiences on social media afterward. I consider material well-being important, as it always opens up new opportunities for growth and creation. I also wish for people to adorn their living spaces – homes, apartments, lofts, offices, restaurants, airports, anything – with my paintings. Embellish your life with cool art from contemporary artists, exclusive, vibrant, and exciting. I'm confident it will all work out! Additionally I mentioned earlier about the mind surfing, I would like my works to be a catalyst for such funs.
What is your favorite experience as an artist so far?
I love it when my consciousness expands, a new vision emerges, thoughts deepen, and the visual language reaches a new level. It's like climbing up a sheer cliff, for a long time seeing only the wall in front of you, but making the effort to move upward. And at some point, you reach the plateau, and a new space unfolds before your eyes. I highly value such discoveries and this experience.
Glimpse, Digital photography, 2022 © Michael Banifatov
And finally, what are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future? Anything exciting you can tell us about?
A lot is happening! In the near future, I plan to complete several projects simultaneously. Currently, I am working on a series about the impact of war on the psychology of those seemingly untouched by it (spoiler alert! It touches everyone). Concurrently, I have initiated a project on the repression of women with infants in Russia in the mid-20th century, exploring the societal regional traumas associated with this tragic experience. Additionally, there's a project in the pipeline dedicated to sugar dependency in contemporary consumer society. Also, I'm searching for an art manager/agent/promoter to join the team – someone fantastic who can promote me in the art market, seek contracts, and sell my works. If you're ready, respond, and we'll discuss everything) Besides, I'm planning a weekend in Barcelona. I want to go at the end of February. Until then, see you soon!
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.
