Born in 1974 in a small rural community near Vladivostok, Yury Toroptsov left his native Russia in 1998 to study at the New School for Social Research in New York after having won a prestigious scholarship. Upon obtaining his master’s degree in non-profit management he pursued this career in a non-governmental sector. In 2003 Yury Toroptsov, then a consultant to the United Nations, changed his profession to follow his long-time passion – photography.

Nourished by his Far-Eastern origins, American travels and the current residence in Europe, Yury Toroptsov keeps at the core of his work what constitutes a common denominator for those distant cultures: people and their identity and the permanence of myths. His photographs tell individual and collective stories of people by posing universal questions (beyond those of models) concerning the contemporary society. Memories, metamorphosis, profane and sacred are the recurring themes in his photographs.

In 2008 he was given a solo show at the Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris. His series, "The House of Baba Yaga" (2008) was shown at Paris Photo in 2008. In 2009 Toroptsov exhibited at the Rencontres d'Arles. His work has been exhibited in various group shows in Paris where he now lives.

Yury Toroptsov is represented by Galerie Photo 12 of Valérie-Anne Giscard d'Estaing.

 

Solo exhibitions
2010	“The House of Baba Yaga”, large format photo exhibition in the park of Sainte Genevieve des Bois in the framework of 2010 Year of Russia in France (4/30 – 7/4/10)
2008	"Marilyn and I" (extracts), French National Center of Costume, Moulins during the International Festival Cinema & Costume (6/26 - 6/29/08)
	"Happiness", Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Paris (01/16 -03/30/08)
Art fairs
2009	Salon de mai, Paris (5/11 - 5/17/09)
2008	Paris Photo, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris (11/13-11/16/08)
	Scope Basel, Switzerland, represented by Saatchi Online (6/3 – 6/8/08)
Group exhibitions
2010	“Dream dresses”, Le Colysee Maison Folie, Lambersart, France (3/13 – 5/30/10)
2009	"Marilyn and I" (work in progress), School Gallery, Paris (10/13 -11/07/09)
	"Marilyn and I", The Rencontres d'Arles, France (7/07 - 8/30/09)
2008	"A hotel photo, an artist's view", Théâtre de l'Odéon, Paris (10/6 - 10/24/08)
	"Legender une Vie", Les Correspondances de Manosque, France (9/24-9/28/08)
	Contributed to Brooklyn Museum 's Click! A Crowd-Curated Exhibition (6/27 - 8/10/08)
2006	"You said advertising?" Gallery of the House of Photographers, Paris (11/3 - 11/30/06)
	"Histoires d'Eaux ", Gallery of the House of Photographers, Paris (1/2 - 1/31/06)
2005	"Histoires d'Eaux ", Halle au Blé, Alençon, France (1/29 - 2/28/05)
Video screenings
2007	Video projection "Marilyn and I", Bastille Design Center, Paris (11/29/07)
	Video projection "Marilyn and I", Les Vergers de l'Art Gallery, Paris (5/17/07)

Press

Features and reviews click on links for full articles

L'Oeil, "Images du mois", September 2009

Liberation, "Marilyn a la derobee", August 2009, Brigitte Ollier

Psychologies.com, Cafe Culture, "Marilyn and I", August 2009, Camille Hermann

A Shaded View on Fashion.com, "Marilyn and I", July 2009, Diane Pernet

Art Actuel, "Art Attitude", July - August 2009

Shot Arles special edition, "Marilyn and I", July 2009

Le Temps," Arles 40 ans dans le viseur", July 2009, Luc Debraine

Telerama.com, "A la rencontre d'Arles", July 2009, Serge Ricco

Saatchi Online Critic's Choice, January 2009, Rebecca Wilson

Burn, "Marilyn and I", March 2009

Shot, "La Maison de Baba Yaga", November - December 2008

SFR Young Talents Magazine n5, "Conte de fees", December 2008, Jean-Baptiste Bernard

Saatchi Online Critic's Choice, April 2008, Ana Finel Honigman

Le Photographe, "Yury Toroptsov. Laureat SFR a la MEP", February 2008, Herve Le Goff

SFR Young Talents Magazine n1, "Le Bonheur selon Yury Toroptsov", February 2008, Emilien Bernard

Photographie.com, "Marilyn and I", 2007

Video, TV and radio interviews click on links to view

France 2, Telematin, Carre VIP, "Marilyn and I", August 2009, Henry-Jean Servat

Fine Art TV, "Springboard: Yury Toroptsov", December 2008

France Inter, "Allo la planete", January 2008, Eric Lange