Biography

Sergei Borisov (b. 1947, Moscow) is a photographer-chronicler of the Soviet underground whose photographs have gained worldwide recognition and been published in Le Monde, Photo, Vogue, Interview, Spin, Face, and other leading magazines. In the 1970s–1980s he worked as an advertising photographer, took portraits of Soviet pop stars for the posters and records of the Melody Company. At the end of the 1970s, he entered the City Committee of Graphic Artists, in the photography section, where his exhibitions of the portraits of artists took place in 1980–1981. Through his official work with the stage, Borisov received his own studio in Moscow (known as Studio 50A), which became a legendary hub for meetings, exhibitions, and concerts of Moscow and Leningrad's unofficial culture scene. Among the heroes of his photographs are Victor Tsoy, Boris Grebenshchikov, Timur Novikov, Ilya Kabakov, Anatoly Zverev, Zhanna Aguzarova, Sergey Kuryokhin, Alla Pugacheva and others. Sergei Borisov is still actively exhibiting both in Russia and abroad.

Recent major retrospective exhibitions of the author include MMOMA ("Sergei Borisov. Zeitgeist", Moscow, 2017), National Art Gallery (Sofia, Bulgaria, 2018), National Museum of Modern Art (Zagreb, Croatia, 2021). In 2022, the exhibition "Reconstruction" was opened, timed to the 75th anniversary of the author. The jubilee year was also marked by a solo museum exhibition "A Tale of Lost Time" at the Multimedia Art Museum.

In 2024, The Moscow Museum of Modern Art in collaboration with the Ruarts Foundation presented The Fairy Tale City – an exhibition of two outstanding contemporary Russian photographers, Sergei Borisov and Mikhail Rozanov. In 2024, his book titled "Tempo" was released, featuring personal stories and iconic photographs of the artist. The photographer’s works are on sale at the most prestigious auctions (Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips) and held in collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, The Museum of Moscow, The Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow House of Photography, as well as numerous Western and European museums and private collections.

Solo exhibitions

2024

The Fairy Tale City, Sergei Borisov and Mikhail Rozanov. MMOMA, Gogolevsky Blvd, Moscow, Russia

2023

Sergei Borisov. KGallery, St. Petersburg, Russia

2022

A tale of lost time. Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, Russia

Reconstruction. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2020

New meanings. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2019

Zeitgeist. Plovdiv 2019 Foundation, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

2018

Zeitgeist. National Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria

2017

Kinotavr 2017. Zimniy Theater, Sochi, Russia

Zeitgeist, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow, Russia

Girls, Girls, Girls. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow , Russia

2015

Glasnost and Perestroyka in Moscow. AKKA Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

Studio 50А. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2012

Video Art of Sergei Borisov. National Center for Contemporary Arts, Moscow, Russia

Bare Bohemia. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2011

Body Language. Glaz Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2010

New Petersburg. Corinthia Hotel, Saint Petersburg, Russia

2007

People and Their Time. Manege Central Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia

2006

Sergei Borisov. Glaz Gallery, Moscow, Russia

2004

Sergei Borisov, Moskau. Village.Town.City.Photographs, Alex Schlesinger Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

Bieler phototage. Jegge Gallery, Biel, Switzerland

2002

Nude. The 4-th International Photography Month in Moscow: Photobiennale 2002, Manege Central Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia

2000

Naked people. Retrospective, Tochka Gallery, Moscow, Russia

1999

Sergei Borisov. Kulturforum, Oberursel, Germany

1998

Generation Next. Alexander Gallery, Washington, USA

People and Trends of New Culture. Manege Central Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia

Typology of Fashion. Manege Central Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia

1997

Portraet einer Zeit. Fotos von Sergei Borisov. Galerie Ars + Birmensdorf, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

1996

Generation Х. Maliy Manege, Moscow, Russia

Russia, Generazione X. Il Diaframma-Kodak Cultura Gallery, Milan, Italy

Fiesta. Press Centre of the 19th Moscow Film Festival, Moscow, Russia

Continents. TV Centre, Ryazan, Russia

1995

Paris-Moscow, Hermitage Club, Moscow, Russia