Nine years ago, constrained in her main profession as a sculptor by the impending birth of her youngest child, Berlin-based artist Elya Yalonetski discovered a new medium for her creative expression. What began as a playful project has evolved into a groundbreaking art movement, known far beyond Berlin, attracting hundreds of participants who engage directly in her immersive photographic installations.
Yalonetski’s innovative approach, which she calls "photo-theater" or "theater of an image," merges contemporary photography with experimental performance and participatory art. She directs every aspect of her projects, from scenario and casting to set design and photography, creating fully realized immersive environments. Technically, her work may be described as overhead photography with costumes, but this fails to capture the transformative and magical experience that participants often describe. The process encourages a unique connection to the moment, drawing people in and inviting them to pause, lie down, and gaze at the sky, becoming part of the art itself.
The upcoming exhibition marks a deliberate closing of a creative chapter. While Yalonetski’s photo-theater has traveled to France, the Czech Republic, and Russia, Berlin remains the heart of her practice. Here she has consistently sourced participants from her wide network of acquaintances to embody her envisioned motifs. For the project “Berlins Deck of Cards”, showcased in June 2021 at Panda in the Kulturbrauerei, she portrayed sixty-seven people, each contributing to the living tapestry of the city’s contemporary art scene.
Berlin itself is undergoing radical transformation. The war in Ukraine resonates deeply within the expat community, shifting moods and compelling many to move between activism and volunteer work. Amid this atmosphere, her work offers a reflective, immersive space where participants and viewers alike can engage with the city’s evolving social and cultural fabric. On March 8, more than one hundred of Yalonetski’s works will be presented at the Vinogradov Gallery, offering both a visual feast of immersive contemporary art and a historical record of the last pre-war decade.
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