Natalia Drachinskaya Photo Exhibition “BINOM” March 8-16, 2025
“BINOM” is a project by photographer Natalia Drachinskaya that intertwines the history of a nation with a deeply personal family story. Sparked by the tragic suicide of her father in September 2001, the project explores her father’s hidden life and the dualities of the Soviet Union and modern-day Russia.
Natalia’s father worked as a cryptographer for the Soviet KGB, serving for over 25 years in the Government Communications and Information Department. His role involved developing algorithms to secure governmental communications and designing encryption systems—a career so secretive that even his family was kept in the dark. After his death, Natalia uncovered the “two lives” he led, mirroring the duality of the state itself: on one hand, peace was promoted through propaganda, while on the other, aggressive military actions were carried out. This duality deeply influenced not only the history of the state but also the lives of families and individuals.
This exhibition visually reconstructs her father’s dual existence through photographs and slides from his archive, family albums, scans of official documents, and Natalia’s own photography. It underscores the power of personal narratives to reveal truths in an era when official histories can be manipulated or rewritten.
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
In 2022, Natalia participated in the “PHOBOOK AS OBJECT” workshop hosted by Reminders Photography Stronghold, where she laid the groundwork for this project. The exhibition coincides with the publication of her artist book BINOM. Natalia herself will be in Japan during the exhibition to work on the production of the book. Together with the artist book, completed during the exhibition, BINOM invites visitors to experience the intersection of the personal and the political, the past and the present, truth and propaganda.
Natalia Drachinskaya Photo Exhibition “BINOM” March 8-16, 2025
◎ Exhibition Period: March 8 (Sat) – March 16 (Sun), 2025
Hours: 13:00 – 19:00, Open daily, Free admission
◎ Opening Reception / Artist Talk
March 8 (Sat) at 14:00
Note: The opening reception and artist talk will begin at 14:00.
The exhibition will be open from 13:00.
◎ Venue: Reminders Photography Stronghold Gallery
Address: 2-38-5 Higashimukojima, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
(6-minute walk from Tobu Skytree Line Hikifune Station or 5-minute walk from Keisei Hikifune Station)
Additional talks and events may be held during the exhibition period. Details will be announced as they are confirmed, so please check our social media channels for the latest information.
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
©︎Natalia Drachinskaya / BINOM
Nata Drachinskaya ｜ Profile
Nata Drachinskaya is a visual artist born in the USSR and now living and working in the USA. Her practice centers on the power of personal memory as a gateway to exploring the broader histories of countries and cultures. Through her works, she examines how memories—both fragile and enduring—can shape identities and futures by processing and reinterpreting the past.
Drachinskaya works with photography, paper, and concrete, mediums that allow her to blend the tangible and the ephemeral. A graduate of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA Moscow, Russia), she has participated in numerous art residencies and workshops across the Netherlands, Georgia, Japan, Hungary, and Russia.
Site:
https://www.drachinskaya.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/drachinskaya/
E-mail: ndrachinskaya@gmail.com