Katerina Christina

EMERGING FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHIC TALENT

By Katherine Sloan

Katerina Christina’s star is rising in New York City’s artistic atmosphere. With a solid portfolio of work from all over the globe and a personal history of survival in the books, she is proving

to succeed towards establishing herself as a bona fide professional

artist. Her work harkens back to the masters of black and white

photography, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Brassaï while the documentation of beating a benign brain tumor (with unflinching self-portraits) captures a singular personal journey that could never

be duplicated.

Katerina Christina’s photographs that range from African elephants (shot in Nairobi) with entwined trunks to steam pouring

from a city manhole in the shape of a heart are both romantic in

the best way. The standouts from her “Wild Things” portfolio include

images of these elephants and a giraffe, even a bird in flight. She

seems to have the goods, with most of her photographs leaving

an impression of something special that is captured, the essence of

an emotion rather than just a graphic object. They convey a bit of

whimsy found in two very different natural and urban jungles.

The artist’s work is infused with delicate touches that are as

romantic as they are nostalgic. With a photograph entitled “Through

the Looking Glass,” she is obviously paying homage to Lewis Carroll’s classic 1871 children’s novel where Alice walks through a mirror (even carafe). Even so, we, the audience, immediately think of a young

girl falling down a rabbit hole and having tea with the Mad Hatter.

It seems as if romance is the pervading theme in all of Katerina

Christina’s work: whether it’s through animals in nature, classically

feminine accessories or a heart-shaped object, the world is a loving

place despite everything. With her nude self-portrait “Surrender,” we

see a diffused visual in the shower, from the back, and the curves of

her derriere.

Another graphic memorable and romantic image is that

of an oversized ladies’ hat. It can almost be seen as a modern take

on the classic black and white fashion photographs of the 1950s. Like

every working photographer, it’s always a challenge to keep the work

new and interesting, rather than prosaic. Her barebones black ink

drawings are most affective when fashion is referenced and when

comparisons to the likes of master legendary photographer, Alberto Rizzo can be made (mainly his ’70s abstract fashion silhouettes published in Harper’s Bazaar). Her photographs tell many tales

outside of fashion as well, with works that fall into series as disparate

as “Street,” “Studio,” “Youth Hood” and “Wild Things.”

“Youth Hood” mostly depicts children joyously playing—

mainly on the beach—while balancing on surfboards, running

in the waves and zipping past on scooters. There is a turbulence

of abstraction complete with bodies in motion against beautiful

prefaces this collection as “A look into the sense of wonder we

often lose as adults.” This musing on wonder and childhood is

nothing if not nostalgic. The photographs are filled with a bit of

hope along with longing, the bitter and the sweet.

Her documentary photo series of women thriving in

typically male professions entitled “Shattered Glass” refers to

the glass ceiling that’s been broken in a workplace dominated

by men. The collection features portraits of female blacksmiths,

ranchers, pilots, barbers, truckers, sumo wrestlers, and welders.

According to Katerina Christina “Women around the world are

shattering barriers and expectations in male-dominated fields.

‘Shattered Glass’ tells the stories of these women, giving fellow

females the role models, exposure, and resources they need to

break into these fields, all while unapologetically embracing

their femininity.” She knows how to balance her work with

female subjects so that it’s serious as well as slightly playful,

which is always refreshing.

Katerina Christina is a woman overcoming life and

its struggles all while documenting the good and the bad. Her

journey—whether it’s artistic, physical, or intellectual—is a joy to

observe. She received her Bachelor’s at Stanford in mechanical

engineering (then had to go on medical leave for brain surgery)

and is now moving full steam ahead at Columbia working

on her Master’s in architecture. Her artistic vision is a modern

take on many of the masters of black and white photography:

from Irving Penn to Avedon, she seems to pay homage while

remaining fresh, capturing new and exciting essence along the

way. She will be in the next exhibition at the Salomon Gallery in

TriBeCa on December 16, 2021.