Ontogenesis Photograph - Limited Edition of 15

Ivan Yalanji was born in 1980 in the Gagauz region of Moldova. His maternal grandfather, Nikolay Chakir (a nephew of the famous Gagauz enlightener, Protopriest Mikhail Chakir), worked as a photographer's assistant at the court of King Carol II of Romania, and later, at the court of King Mihai I. After Mihai I was removed from power by the Communists in 1947, he was forced to flee to his relatives in Gagauzia. Ivan never met his grandfather. He only knew him through his mother's stories. His grandfather left behind an old German ZEISS IKON camera and several photographs of the royal family, which he personally participated in creating. These photographs were a family secret - Ivan's parents never showed them to guests. Ivan's grandfather was able to pass on his interest in photography to his son-in-law. Ivan's father enjoyed taking pictures of his loved ones, local landscapes, and his children... The process of making photographs seemed like a real miracle to young Ivan. He watched with delight as the image of life appeared in a small tray of solution under the red light... Even then, Ivan's parents noticed how their son's eyes lit up when he looked at photographs in magazines. Ivan's parents really wanted him to become an agronomist - a respected person in the village. He had to go to an agricultural college. One day, Ivan spent all the money he was given for the week on several rolls of black and white "Svema" film. He secretly took his father's "Vilia" camera and took pictures of everyday scenes from rural life. When his uncle - the famous Gagauz poet Petr Yalynji - saw the finished photographs, he convinced his brother to give his son the opportunity to pursue his passion. "Ivan sees life differently than you do. Let him become who he wants to be." Ivan moved to Chisinau, where he immersed himself in the study of photography. His first success did not take long. In the early 2000s, several personal photo exhibitions on the subject of Gagauz ethnography were held in Moldova, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Professional associations of photographers began to take notice of Ivan. In 2006, at the invitation of the Turkish Ministry of Culture, Ivan represented Moldova in an international creative photo lab. The first photo book was published as a result of this work. This was followed by numerous invitations to participate in prestigious photo exhibitions around the world.