Born 1946 in Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod). In 1950–1980 lived in Ulyanovsk, upon graduating from
high school was a worker at Ulyanovsk car plant, and later – after having serbed in the Soviet
Army – became an engineer. For the last ten years has been working as a freelance
photographer.
In 1980-1994 lived in different parts of Russia. Since 1994 has lived and worked in Moscow. His
pictures were published in Sovetsky Soyuz, Ogonyok, Rabotniza, Krestyanka, Semya I Shkola
magazines. In the last years has taken pictures for Stern magazine.
Awards:
1997 Best Photographer of the Year in Russia – Paris Match, Best
Photo Story/ InterFoto Best Photograph of the Year’ 1996
1998 Photographer of the Year/German Photo Editor’s Club Best Daily Life
Photo Story/ InterFoto Best Photograph of the Year’ 1997
1999 Best Photograph of the Year/ InterFoto Best Photograph of the Year’ 1998
Award for Humanistic Photography – Institute of Humanitarian Research,
Frankfurt Best Magazine Photo Story/ German Photo Editor’s Club
Solo exhibitions:
2010 Valery Schekoldin A Retrospective Exhibition,Tsereteli gallery (within Photobiennale-2010)
1987 Moment of Truth, Ulyanovsk, Regional Art Museum
1991 The Inner Man, Moscow, Photo Centre
1998 Ulyanovsk, Moscow, Novy Manezh (within Photobiennale-98)
Schekoldin took photographs in Russia and abroad, in Chechnya and the Caucausis. His subjects
are old people and youth, orphans and prisoned teenagers, peasants and workers, artists. He’s
always been taking images of the Russian daily life.