Jenia Filatova is a photographer and a mixed media artist with more than fifteen years of experience both as a portrait and a still life photographer. Working with range of people and clients from public figures and household names to underground musicians, from commercial companies to indie fashion brands, Jenia has developed unique and mind-imprinting visual style to her work that sets her apart from the peers.

In her practice Jenia is exploring feelings of randomness, exaggeration and derangement. Her process is known for visually complex result even when working with a visually limited input. In the current day and age of remix culture in its peak it only made sense for Jenia to push the boundaries of her medium.
Through the experimentation with various artistic methods and use of unpredictability as one of her main means in her photography Jenia has naturally transitioned into mixed media. “Mixed media for mixed feelings”. Always challenging the norm, Jenia is combining the unpredictable. From aliens, floral and animal hybrids, non-existing creatures to hand painted Krollies, mutants to colorful portraits made with lasers: Jenia has no thematic limits in her creative exploration and constantly experiments with her techniques.

Hi Jenia! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you. The first question I always ask: What does a regular day look like for you in Paris?
Jenia: Paris is very unpredictable. But right now, I have city hall’s French courses, 8 hours a day. In the evenings, I either shoot, draw, visit exhibitions, or go to the gym. I’m a bit of a hermit. I’m a hardcore introvert — my friends joke that I’m a “fashion monk in a fashion cell.” But working as a photographer, I get to go to so many places and meet so many people, and I love that too. These are two seemingly incompatible things.

I’m curious: What kind of kid were you growing up? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?
Jenia: Once, my mom got hold of a tape recorder and recorded a mini-interview with three-year-old me. And there I said, “I don’t like proper art.” I was always in some imaginary worlds, drawing a lot and inventing creatures. Hahaha, nothing has changed.

Do you remember how old you were and how you first got introduced to graphic design programs? And which programs do you use now?
Jenia: My dad installed one of the very early versions of Photoshop. So, I’ve been Photoshopping since elementary school. Now I use DaVinci, Midjourney, Runway, Touch Designer, Recraft, and Luma.
So how and when did you get introduced to AI?
Jenia: I have friends who know their stuff. As soon as Midjourney came out, they showed it to me.

After over 15 years of photography experience, what inspired your shift toward mixed media? Was there a pivotal moment or project that prompted this transition?
Jenia: A tough moment was moving to Tbilisi because of the start of the war. No work, but plenty of time. I had been dreaming for a long time about finding something besides photography that would allow me to work remotely, and then boom! Neural networks appeared.

So what is your work really about?
Jenia: I really like Roland Barthes’ concept of “The Death of the Author.” It’s about how a piece of work only starts to live after it’s created, and viewers invent their own meanings based on their inner worlds. I’m endlessly fascinated by observing and listening to people’s reactions. Maybe it’s because I’ve been a photographer for over 15 years, and observing and letting others reveal themselves is truly my thing.
But! I realized that randomness is a key theme in everything I do. I guess my background in a math class leaves its mark. It’s just like in life: some things we can control, and others just happen to us. In my art, I always leave room for chance. That’s why I love AI so much. I don’t write prompts; instead, I have conversations with my own photos, mixing completely different elements. The result is highly unpredictable — like unwrapping New Year’s gifts.
In photography, I experimented a lot and invented techniques using lasers, colored shadows, double flashes, and long exposures. In these techniques, too, the result is semi-unpredictable. It keeps things interesting for me.

You’ve mastered most of the big AI tools out there. Are there specific tools, techniques, or themes you’re excited to explore further in the future?
Jenia: Yes, I want to dive into Pixorama. Once I have some free time, I’ll definitely study it.
“Mixed media for mixed feelings” — this phrase perfectly describes your work. How does it reflect your approach to blending techniques and themes?
Jenia: I guess, like all artists, I’m just expressing myself. I have a bit of a quiet borderline personality disorder, so my feelings are really mixed. Some people really like my work, others find it disgusting, and often it’s both at the same time, so you don’t even know what you feel. As for media, I just find it interesting to try new things; it’s inspiring.

In your works, there are extraterrestrial figures, hybrids of flowers and animals, and non-existent creatures, as well as themes of exaggeration and distortion. What do these hybrid forms symbolize in your work?
Jenia: What do you see and feel? What does it mean to you?
You’ve collaborated with famous personalities, underground musicians, and indie brands. Do you feel nervous or pressured when working on such projects?
Jenia: If I’m shooting for a person, there’s synergy, a kind of joint creative flow, and I just get energized. After shoots, many of them become my friends. On the other hand, when it’s a shoot for a magazine or an advertisement, where there are a lot of people on set and the shoot turns into work, it’s a bit different. In the past, yes, I used to worry about the result. Now I’m confident that I do well, but the result is everyone’s responsibility — the whole team’s, including those famous personalities. Almost always, they’re wonderful professionals who treat the team with respect.

In a parallel universe, who would you be, and what would you be doing?
Jenia: I’d need two universes: in one, I’d be an Amazon warrior; in the other, a monk.
Tell me about the strangest shoot you’ve ever done.
Jenia: I once shot a report about transporting liquefied gas from Sakhalin to Seoul on a tanker. A week on a tanker at -40°C. It was pretty cool.

What qualities do you find most important in the people you choose to spend time with?
Jenia: For work — only talent. But my friends, in addition to being talented, are also genuinely kind, supportive people I’ve been close with for many years.
Is there anyone you look up to? What motivates you?
Jenia: I admire people who invent something new, who do things no one has done before — in all fields. That’s what motivates me. When you create something new, life feels more meaningful.

Alright Jenia, I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. First: What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
Jenia: Surprisingly, I rarely watch movies — they trigger too many emotions. I love documentaries about great people; I want to understand how they navigate life. I also remembered the film “Window to Paris” (or Salades Russes). I loved it as a kid. It portrays the raw reality of my Russian childhood and contrasts it with a parallel, beautiful life in Paris. It’s about Russians discovering a window to Paris and having to choose where to live when the window closes for 20 years.
Second: What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
Jenia: I mostly listen to podcasts. But I also love Russian bands because they’re my friends, and many have also moved to Paris — I can go to their concerts. For example, Sonic Death, Maria Teriaeva, Traumpunkt. Recently, a friend asked me to buy music for him because Russian cards don’t work abroad. So now I’ve been listening non-stop for three days to “The Promise” by David Spinelli.