Alexander Sviridov

As a lifelong chess enthusiast, I wanted to bring my passion for the game into a surreal self-portrait, creating a world where imagination and reality intertwine. The concept began with a pencil sketch, which I gradually transformed into a physical set. I constructed a custom cardboard box with openings for my face and hands, then arranged a chessboard surrounded by sand to create the setting.

I photographed myself and the individual elements from different angles, carefully capturing the images needed to bring my vision to life. Finally, I combined and refined all the photographs in Photoshop, transforming the original concept into a surreal composition where I become part of the chess world itself.

With a background in fine arts and a great appreciation for classical painting, I often use elements of traditional art in my photographic creations. For this surreal self-portrait, I wanted to play with the idea of stepping into the world of paintings and creating an illusion between art and reality.

In the image, I appear to look into one painting while also looking out from another, becoming both the viewer and part of the artwork. To create this scene, I built a cardboard wall with an opening for a picture frame. I photographed myself from different angles and then carefully combined all the photographs in Photoshop to bring my idea to life.

This is a natural portrait of my friend Vince. I wanted to show him as an old-world traveler, someone who has seen many countries, experienced different adventures, and has many stories to tell. I focused on his expression, natural lighting, and the movement of his hair to give the portrait a sense of life and history. My goal was to create a portrait that makes you wonder about the story behind the person.

A portrait of my friend Vince, a local actor, styled as a medieval traveler. I created the outfit myself to capture the look of a man marked by time, strength, and quiet wisdom.

In the “Elephant” artwork female forms gracefully merge to create the majestic white elephant. The models figures, both elegant and haunting, harmonize seamlessly to form the powerful yet delicate shape, bridging the boundary between humanity and nature. This piece blurs the lines between body and beast, reality and fantasy, inviting viewers to witness the profound beauty in unity and transformation.