Kitaev Alexander

Alexander Kitaev was born in 1952 in Leningrad. From 1970 to 1978, the artist worked as a mechanical assembly locksmith at the Zarya Leningrad Electromechanical Plant. In 1971–1973, he studied at the North-West Correspondence Polytechnic Institute and began to get involved in photography. In 1977, Kitaev graduated from the faculty of photojournalists of the City University of Rabcors (labour correspondents) at the Leningrad House of Journalists. In 1982, the artist took up intensive self-education. He is a member of the photo clubs Okno (1975–1979), Drujba (1979), Zerkalo (1987–1988), and of the other associations of photographers. He is an organizer of the Art-Tema Publishing House (2000) and the art director of the Raskolnikov Photo Gallery (2004–2005). Kitaev made photo expeditions at Mount Athos (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000). In 2006, the artist became a scholarship holder of the Paris City Hall. He actively exhibits and curates exhibition projects. Kitaev is a member of the Russian Union of Art Photographers (1992), a member of the Russian Union of Artists (1994). He gave lectures on the history of photography and held master classes in various museums and photography centers, including the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg, the Youth Education Center of the State Hermitage, Museum of the History of Photography (St. Petersburg), the Baltic Photo School (St. Petersburg), the State Russian Museum and Exhibition Centre ROSPHOTO (St. Petersburg).