Alexey Shlyk: From Mathematics to Photography, Confronting Propaganda Through Utopian Images

Belarusian photographer Alexey Shlyk, chosen by David Claerbout for Future Greats 2025, reflects on his transition from mathematics to photography, emphasizing his labor-intensive techniques and his examination of utopian concepts in response to war and propaganda. Having relocated from Belarus to Belgium a decade ago, Shlyk creates objects exclusively for the camera, never displaying them independently. His series 'The Appleseed Necklace' (2016–18) revisits DIY culture memories. In 'The Potato Picker' (2016), he showcases the ambiguity of photography. Collaborating with artist Ben Van den Berghe and architect York Bing Oh, he designed a modular maquette system for photographic installations. His 2022 exhibition 'Backspace' contrasted a utopian architectural model with footage of Russian artillery, addressing the Ukraine conflict. 'Day and Night' (2023) manipulates perception through color, inspired by Belgian surrealists. His 2024 exhibit 'GOO' featured 'Mausoleum', a digitally altered image of Lenin's Mausoleum with red wax, critiquing propaganda. Shlyk graduated with a Mathematics degree from Belarus State University (2008), obtained an MA in photography from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp (2018), and an MA in Research in Art and Design from Sint Lucas Antwerpen (2019). He received the Carte Blanche award at Paris Photo (2017) and the Prijs Roger De Conynck (2018).