My Existence = My Resistance
Artist Statement
Slava Mogutin by Miguel Villalobos
For over two decades, I have been documenting youth culture and queer communities in my native Russia and around the world. My immigrant experience has shaped my approach to storytelling, giving voice to minorities, outsiders and outcasts often marginalized and misrepresented in mainstream culture. My work reflects my dissident and refugee journey, combining personal experiences with social critique and political activism.
Despite being exiled from Russia for my outspoken queer writing and activism, I continued to challenge Russian authorities through my journalism and art, as well as my public speaking and interviews, in an effort to create a more tolerant, inclusive and open society in my native country. I have been speaking out against Putin’s hostile policies towards minorities, free press and, more recently, the annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine.
My pictures are intimate time capsules. From the East to the West, they examine displacement and identity, rebellion and conformity, pride and shame, devotion and disaffection in a quest for unconditional love and acceptance. I have always considered myself a global citizen with a lifelong commitment to dismantling political and ideological barriers, taboos, and stereotypes.
My art is a celebration of humanity in all shapes and forms. The fight for equality is far from over, and I see my work as an effective weapon against hypocrisy, bigotry, and censorship. I want to shine a light on the darkest corners of human nature and sexuality as a way to understand and peacefully coexist with each other—because being different is a blessing, not a curse.
NYC, May 2022