The Forbidden Image solo exhibition by Boris Mikhailov

The exhibition by Boris Mikhailov is a homecoming show offering a view on his oeuvre, from photography to conceptual art and performativity. Mikhailov's work moves along the edges of political and social norms and tests the limits of what the project addresses as "The Forbidden Image". This title stresses the personal engagement and risks implied by the early practice of Mikhailov and his keen sense of critical thinking through the image itself, allowing an expanded understanding of reality. The exhibition underscores his position as a leader and a thinker.
The exhibition premieres two new films by David Teboul, who followed Boris Mikhailov, collecting 40 hours of video material. "Tea, Coffee, Cappuccino" (13 minutes) addresses the question of the documentary's essential place in the artist's work. "I was here" (1.55 hours) is a portrait of the artist, wherein he describes the emotions his photographs arouse in him. It reveals Mikhailov's taste for incompletion, irony, and his liking for play. The films engage with the works of Mikhailov throughout the exhibition.
Curators – Björn Geldhof, Artistic director of the PinchukArtCentre; Martin Kiefer, in charge of Contemporary Art at the Musée du Louvre, Paris; Alicia Knock, curator, Contemporary and Research Department, Centre Pompidou, Paris.
A special thanks goes out to Suzanne Tarasiève for supporting the realization of the Boris Mikhailov exhibition.