Valentyn Odnoviun

Valentyn Odnoviun is a Lecturer in the Department of Art History and Theory at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, where he has been teaching art photography and art history since 2020. He also teaches at the European Humanities University since 2021. As a visual art creator and art historian, Odnoviun specializes in photography with a focus on Ukrainian and Baltic art photography and Eastern European photographic culture.

Odnoviun graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Arts with a master's degree in Photography and Media Art (2016) and Art History and Theory (2019). He is a member of the Lithuanian Association of Photographic Artists since 2018 and serves as the head of the TSEKH Gallery in Vilnius. His scholarly work centers on the intersections of Ukrainian and Baltic art photography within Eastern European photographic culture from the 1960s to the 1980s, with a particular interest in Soviet-era photographic practices.

Odnoviun's creative and scholarly output shows a consistent focus on historical photographic practices, particularly those related to Soviet-era documentation and surveillance. His work often explores the materiality of photographic processes and the historical contexts in which they emerged, with notable projects examining KGB prison photography and discarded photographic materials from historical sites. His research demonstrates how photography functioned as both an artistic medium and a tool of state control in Eastern Europe.

Scientific Awards:

• 2021: Nominee for FOAM Paul Huf Award
• 2019: Winner of Photolux Award
• 2018: Laureate of Lithuanian Union of Photographers Award
• 2018: 1st place at Krakow Photo Month Portfolio Review
• 2018: Honorable Mention at PIC Förderpreis SELECTED
• 2017: 1st place at World Biennial of Student Photography
• 2017: Grand Prix Award at INTERPHOTO GRAND PRIX

Odnoviun's scholarly contributions bridge artistic practice and academic research, with his major publications including the books "PW44" (2021) and "Surveillance. A Typology of Oppression" (2020). His work has been exhibited internationally, reflecting his significant standing in contemporary photographic art and scholarship.