Jenya Bazarova is a Russian-born photographer and filmmaker based in New York City. She is best known for her documentary work, which often focuses on the lives of marginalized communities.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Jenya moved to the United States at the age of 16. She studied photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and graduated with a BFA in Photography and Video. After graduating, she began working as a freelance photographer and filmmaker, shooting for publications such as The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and National Geographic.
Jenya’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the International Center of Photography in Paris. Her films have been screened at festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to her photography and filmmaking work, Jenya also teaches workshops on documentary photography and filmmaking at various institutions around the world.
Jenya’s work has earned her numerous awards including a World Press Photo Award for her series “The Invisible People” which focused on homeless people living on the streets of Moscow. Her other awards include a Magnum Foundation Grant for her project “The Unseen” which explored life inside an orphanage in Siberia; a Pulitzer Center Grant for her project “The Unheard Voices” which focused on women living with HIV/AIDS; and an Emmy Award for her film “The Long Road Home” which documented refugees from Syria who were resettled in Germany.
Jenya is passionate about using her art to tell stories that are often overlooked or ignored by mainstream media outlets. Through her work she hopes to bring attention to issues that are important to her such as human rights, social justice, immigration, gender equality, poverty, health care access, education reform, environmental protection and more.