Biography
Svetlana Talanova is a London-based painter and photographer. She explores the relationship and interconnections between nature and humanity.
She holds an MA in Photography (with Distinction for Research) from the Royal College of Art (2021) and a Graduate Diploma in Art & Design (Distinction) from the Royal College of Art (2026). Talanova has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (2022); Shaping Futures, UK Pavilion at Expo 2020, Dubai (2022); CCP Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne (2022); London Grads Now, Saatchi Gallery, London (2021); #social 2021, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, Seoul (2021); After The High Tide, Cromwell Place, London (2021); The Makeable Mind, Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, Groningen (2021); and A Day in Your Life, Saatchi Gallery, London (2019).
She was commissioned by Westfield London (Future Fashion, 2021), to produce a unique large-scale work promoting sustainability, which was exhibited at Westfield from September 2021 to August 2022.
She has been shortlisted for Bloomberg New Contemporaries (2021) and the Arts Thread Global Design Graduate Show, in Collaboration with GUCCI (2021) and was a finalist in the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Awards (2020).
CV
b. 1985, Svetlogorsk, Belarus
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
2026
Graduate Diploma in Art & Design (Distinction), Royal College of Art, London
2021
MA Photography (Distinction for Research), Royal College of Art, London
Group Exhibitions
2026
RCA2026 Showcase, Royal College of Art, Online
2023
Open Studios, V.O Curations, London, UK
2022
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Shaping Futures: Design-Led Innovation, Expo 2020 Dubai, UK Pavillion, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Future Fashion, Westfield, London, UK
Inspiration Women Exhibition, God’s House Tower, Southampton, UK
Colour, Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield, UK
CCP Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia
Postcards from Great Britain, University of Cambridge, Alison Richard Building, UK
Postcards from Europe, University of Cambridge, Alison Richard Building, UK
Shaping Futures: Design-Led Innovation, Expo 2020 Dubai, UK Pavillion, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Future Fashion, Westfield, London, UK
Inspiration Women Exhibition, God’s House Tower, Southampton, UK
Colour, Fronteer Gallery, Sheffield, UK
CCP Salon, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia
Postcards from Great Britain, University of Cambridge, Alison Richard Building, UK
Postcards from Europe, University of Cambridge, Alison Richard Building, UK
2021
London Grads Now. 21, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
After the High Tide, RCA Degree Show, Cromwell Place, London, UK
RCA 2021, Royal College of Art Graduation show, Online, UK
#social 2021, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
Arts Thread Global Design Graduate show 2021 in Collaboration with GUCCI, Online, UK
The Makeable Mind, Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, Groningen, Netherlands
Future Fashion, Westfield, London, UK
Travelled Path, Decode gallery, Tucson, Arizona, USA
37th Annual Open Exhibition, Southwark Park Galleries, Lake Gallery, London, UK
Shutter Hub OPEN 20/21, Gallery Cafe at St. Margaret’s House, London, UK
Postcards from Great Britain, FuoriLuogo, Asti, Italy
After the High Tide, RCA Degree Show, Cromwell Place, London, UK
RCA 2021, Royal College of Art Graduation show, Online, UK
#social 2021, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
Arts Thread Global Design Graduate show 2021 in Collaboration with GUCCI, Online, UK
The Makeable Mind, Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, Groningen, Netherlands
Future Fashion, Westfield, London, UK
Travelled Path, Decode gallery, Tucson, Arizona, USA
37th Annual Open Exhibition, Southwark Park Galleries, Lake Gallery, London, UK
Shutter Hub OPEN 20/21, Gallery Cafe at St. Margaret’s House, London, UK
Postcards from Great Britain, FuoriLuogo, Asti, Italy
2020
WIP Show, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2020 Award, Virtual Exhibition, UK
36th Annual Open Exhibition, Southwark Park Galleries, London, UK
Situationist RCA, Hyde Park, London, UK
Time to Think, Festival Pil’Ours, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2020 Award, Virtual Exhibition, UK
36th Annual Open Exhibition, Southwark Park Galleries, London, UK
Situationist RCA, Hyde Park, London, UK
Time to Think, Festival Pil’Ours, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France
2019
A Day in Your Life Photographic Prize, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
HOME, Gallery at Home, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Time to Think, Festival Pil’Ours, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France
HOME, Gallery at Home, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK
Time to Think, Festival Pil’Ours, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, France
Awards
2022
a-n Bursary ‘Space Time Money’
International Photography Exhibition (IPE 164), shortlisted
Nikon-Noor Academy Masterclass, Paris
International Photography Exhibition (IPE 164), shortlisted
Nikon-Noor Academy Masterclass, Paris
2021
Bloomberg New Contemporaries, shortlisted
Future Fashion, winner
Arts Thread Global Design Graduate Show, shortlisted
Jerwood/Photoworks Awards, longlisted
Fine Art Photography Awards, nominee
Future Fashion, winner
Arts Thread Global Design Graduate Show, shortlisted
Jerwood/Photoworks Awards, longlisted
Fine Art Photography Awards, nominee
2020
Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2020, finalist
Fine Art Photography Awards, nominee
Royal Photographic Society Postgraduate Bursary, shortlisted
International Photography Awards, honourable mention
Fine Art Photography Awards, nominee
Royal Photographic Society Postgraduate Bursary, shortlisted
International Photography Awards, honourable mention
2019
A Day in Your Life Photographic Prize, runner up
Photobox Instagram Photography Awards, shortlisted
Photobox Instagram Photography Awards, shortlisted
2026
ME+EM (January 2026 Collection)
Press
‘Analogue Landscape. Svetlana Talanova’
Aesthetica Magazine, Issue 131, 2026
https://shop.aestheticamagazine.com/collections/aesthetica-issues/products/aesthetica-magazine-issue-131
‘Svetlana Talanova: Spiritual Photosynthesis.
Artdoc Magazine, Issue 6, 2022
https://www.artdoc.photo/e-magazine/issue-nr-6-2022
Group Exhibition, Open Theme
F-Stop Photography Magazine, issue 113, 2022
https://www.fstopmagazine.com/groupexhibition.html#gallery-243
‘Postcards from Europe, Art at the ARB’
F-Stop Photography Magazine, 2022
https://www.fstopmagazine.com/blog/2022/postcards-from-europe-art-at-the-arb/
‘RCA Graduates exhibit at Saatchi Gallery for London Grads Now.21’
Royal College of Art, 2021
https://www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/rca-graduates-exhibit-saatchi-gallery-london-grads-now21/
‘After the High Tide. RCA MA Photography Class of 2021’
Rica Cerbarano, Vogue Italy, 2021
‘Westfield London’s Future Fashion winners reveal commissioned work in exhibit’
Rachel Douglas, FASHIONUNITED, 2021
https://fashionunited.uk/uncategorised/westfield-london-s-future-fashion-winners-reveal-commissioned-work-in-exhibit/2021101458404
Source Graduate Photography, 2021
https://www.source.ie/graduate/2021/royacollma/royacollma_student_18_22_54_28-07-21/royacollma_student_18_22_54_28-07-21.php
After The High Tide, Folium, 2021
Postcards from Great Britain, collection catalogue Shutter Hub, 2021
Be Kind Magazine, Issue 9, September 2019