Soviet photographer Gennady Bodrov

Early morning. Red Square, 1988-1990. Moscow USSR. Photo by Soviet photographer Gennady Bodrov (May 17, 1957 – February 14, 1999). Image source kursk.com

The shot from the series “Black and white Russia” by Gennady Borisovich Bodrov (May 17, 1957 – February 14, 1999), made in 1988-1990, evaluated at 2-3 thousand pounds at Sotheby’s auction. Soviet photographer Gennady Bodrov was born in 1957 in the city of Soltsy of Novgorod region. In his childhood, aged ten, he injured his hand examining the found shell left from the Great Patriotic war (1941-1945). At school, in the early 70s he became interested in photography. Then his first cameras were “Kiev” and “Zenith”. He studied by correspondence at the national University of Arts in 1973 – 1976. In 1974, immediately after graduation, he began working with newspapers. He worked as the head of photo club, assistant cameraman, a photographer for the newspaper. In fact, Gennady Bodrov was a freelance photographer.

Sculpture and fallen tree. Soviet photographer G. Bodrov (May 17, 1957 – February 14, 1999)

Since the end of 1970 Gennady Bodrov sent his works to the exhibitions, took part in a large number of photo exhibitions and competitions in the USSR and abroad. Gennady Bodrov was better known as a photographer working in the direction of social picture. In his later years Bodrov worked closely with the newspaper “Kursk Bulletin”, and as a private photographer.

Photo by Soviet photographer Gennady Bodrov

Photo by Soviet photographer G. Bodrov

February 14, 1999, Gennady Bodrov was killed for robbery. Attackers lured the photographer out of the city, ostensibly to shoot wedding ceremony. According to them, they were not going to kill Bodrov, but verbal altercation angered the criminals and they beat and strangled Gennady. During the week, the three suspects were detained in hot pursuit. By decision of the Kursk Regional Court killers Alexander Pankov and Dmitry Cheshko received 20 and 22 years of strict regime colony respectively, and their partner Mikhail Volodko – 1.5 year suspended sentence.

Photo by Gennady Bodrov from the series 'Black and white Russia'

Photo by G. Bodrov from the series ‘Black and white Russia’

The teacher of Gennady, Alexander Lapin idolized Bodrov. He considered him the most talented student. Name of Bodrov was at the hearing, he declared a photo contest named after Bodrov in photo school of Lapin. He taught his students on the photos of Gennady. Lapin organized posthumous exhibition of photo works of Bodrov in Moscow. He gave 18 pictures of Gennady to the State Museum of Fine Arts named after AS Pushkin. When mother of Bodrov died, the disciples of Lapin came for the funeral and helped with money.

Soviet photographer Gennady Bodrov

At the grave of a soldier S.V. Tishchenko

Bodrov first showed his work in 1979 in Berlin at the international exhibition. All in all, he participated in 19 domestic and 48 international exhibitions, and has more than 50 medals and awards. He photographed a lot in Germany, France, the United States. Bodrov was a world-class photographer, has participated in many domestic and European exhibitions, actively cooperated with the regional newspapers. The name of Bodrov is given to Kursk photographic society.