Slava Mogutin is a Russian-born, New York-based artist, writer, and photographer. He is best known for his provocative photographs that explore themes of gender identity, sexuality, and queer culture.
Mogutin was born in Siberia in 1975 and moved to Moscow at the age of 17. He quickly became involved in the city's underground art scene and was an active member of the radical art collective Mitki. In 1995, he became the first openly gay Russian to apply for political asylum in the United States.
Since then, Mogutin has become an internationally renowned photographer whose work has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times Magazine, Vogue Italia, i-D Magazine, and Vice Magazine. His photographs have also been exhibited at galleries around the world including The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and The Photographers' Gallery in London.
In addition to his photography work, Mogutin is also a published author with several books to his name including Lost Boys (2001), NYC Go-Go (2005), and Slava Mogutin: Selected Works (2008). He has also written for publications such as Interview Magazine and Purple Fashion Magazine.
Mogutin continues to live and work in New York City where he continues to push boundaries with his provocative photography that celebrates queer culture while challenging traditional notions of gender identity and sexuality.