On the Other Side: Behind the Scenes

A Conversation with Katya Leonovich and Kirill Simakov

In the art world, we are trained to look at the object: the sculpture, the canvas, the installation, the final image. We memorize the name, debate the style, analyze the market. But rarely do we pause to consider the person standing just beyond the frame — the architect behind the façade, the sculptor behind the monument, the quiet force behind a celebrated gallery program.

With On the Other Side, photographer Kirill Simakov turns his lens toward those figures who shape the visual culture we consume, yet often remain unseen. Presented at Leonovich Gallery, the exhibition becomes less about fame and more about presence — about the human architecture behind iconic work.

We sat down with Simakov and gallery founder Katya Leonovich to discuss visibility, intuition, and what happens when the camera shifts direction.

Installation view of On the Other Side, Leonovich Gallery

Albert Watson, Grimanesa Amorós, Darren Aronofsky, Benny Cruz, Jason Peterson

Why this project, and why now? What does On the Other Side mean to you beyond the literal?

Kir Simakov: “On the Other Side” is a project about those who usually remain on the other side of the frame. We know their works, their names, their influence, but we rarely think about the inner state of the person behind a great creation. Today, the world is overflowing with images, yet there is less and less space for depth. For me, “the other side” is not a physical place but a state of being.

Walk me through your thinking process. What persuaded you to take on this project?

Katya Leonovich: In my gallery, I show different kinds of artworks: paintings, sculpture, video, and photography. Kirill is showing a documentary-artistic kind of work. It is a unique project reflecting creative people in the process and within their environment.

About your characters. How did you pick them — and why?

Kir Simakov: The project brings together artists, photographers, designers, sculptors, writers, and cultural figures who have shaped our emotional and artistic experience. I chose them not by genre, but by the scale of their influence. Each of them has left a mark on culture and in our collective memory. This is a portrait of creators — those who fill the world with meaning.

Jim Rennert, Michael Mayer, Petra Mayer, Samuel Mayer, Nicholas Lowry, Katya Leonovich

When you’re considering an exhibition, are you responding primarily to the work itself, or to the artist behind it — and how do you reconcile the two?

Katya Leonovich: The quality and the level of the artworks are my primary focus. The artist may be famous or an emerging creator. If the artist has a so-called “name” established by the media, it doesn’t mean their artwork can automatically be shown in my gallery. The same applies to nationality or color.

After working on this project and getting to know these different personalities, did it change how you see their work?

Kir Simakov: Did you understand it differently, or did it remain the same?Definitely, yes. When you look at a person not as an icon but as a living interlocutor, many things change. Behind the scale of a name, vulnerability, doubt, and depth begin to reveal themselves. I began to perceive their works not as a “brand,” but as a continuation of their inner world. Perhaps it sounds grand, but that’s truly how it is.

Do you think it’s important for the viewer to know the person behind the work? Or is it better to preserve a sense of mystery and leave space for imagination?

Katya Leonovich: Personally, I prefer to keep the mystery. But nowadays, viewers are “trained” to read statements and bios. In this case, we are preparing documents to keep at the reception desk.

What was most important for you to capture in these photographs?How did you choose your tools — light, editing, setting — to tell the story?

Kir Simakov: The most important thing was to capture presence — the moment when a public figure becomes simply a human being. I wanted more naturalness, so I tried to combine flash with ambient light. As a rule, the editing was minimal in order to preserve texture and authenticity. But with some portraits, I allowed myself to be more creative.The space was usually the subject’s natural working environment or places of inspiration, so that the person would feel familiar and comfortable.

As a gallery owner and curator, how do you decide the optimal way to share a story? Or do you prefer to leave that entirely to the artist?

Katya Leonovich: It could be both. I can help the artist set up the statement, but I also like to listen to the artist’s ideas.

What was the main challenge for you while working on this project?

Kir Simakov: The main challenge is trust. When working with personalities of such scale, it is important to maintain respect while also getting close enough. It takes time for a person to step out of their public role and allow a real moment to appear. This project exists thanks to trust.

While preparing the exhibition, what would you say was the most challenging part?

Katya Leonovich: This process is sensitive. Sometimes artists want to show more pieces, and my role is to advise showing less for the sake of a better and cleaner installation.

If you could make everyone realize one thing after seeing the exhibition, what would it be?

Kir Simakov: That art is not only an object, but also a person. Behind every work stands a living individual with their own complexity, solitude, strength, and fragility. It is important to me that the viewer feels a dialogue — between themselves and the subject of the portrait.

How do you think this project might change how people perceive the relationship between creator and creation? What do you think visitors will begin noticing that they didn’t before?

Katya Leonovich: I am not sure what you mean. In the case of Kirill’s show, the protagonists of his portraits will definitely reveal an intimate part of their lives and process. And that will be the difference.

Will there be a continuation?

Kir Simakov: Yes, absolutely.“On the Other Side” is not a finished chapter, but only the first part. The exploration of the creator as a work of art will continue in new forms and new encounters.

Would you like to see the project continue? And if so, who would you want to appear in On the Other Side, Edition II?

Katya Leonovich: I haven’t thought about it yet. I already have many shows planned for this year and the next one.

Lastly,

What is it within you that keeps you committed to what you do?

Kir Simakov: Curiosity. Photography, for me, is a way to preserve human presence in time. This search helps me remain true to my craft. And the endless support of my family allows me to stay devoted to photography.

What is it within you that keeps you committed to what you do?

Katya Leonovich: I am an artist to begin with. Being a gallerist is like seeing the other side of the Moon. I am very curious to learn more about how the mechanisms of the art world operate. I love artists and wish them the best. This is my motivation.

Thank you!