Ilyas Hajji (b.1984)
Lives and works in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia

BIO

Ilyas Hajji is a self-taught photographer whose career spans documentary, art, and photojournalism. Beginning as an amateur photographer (2008–2011), he turned professional in 2011, collaborating with local and international publishers. His early work includes a 2013–2014 personal project on Dagestan’s emerging football community.

Due to the lack of photography schools in his home region Ilyas has honed his craft through online courses, including a 2013 documentary photography course by Photodepartament, and the 2021 Nikon-NOOR Online Masterclass. At 2014 he was invited to attend the free offline Magnum workshop in Baku led by Thomas Dworzak and Chien-Chi Chang.

In 2015, he created his first art project, Between War and Peace, during the Alanica International Art Residency, where he was the sole representative from Dagestan. This interdisciplinary series explored the Caucasian War, marking his shift toward contemporary art photography. His practice blends documentary and artistic approaches, showcased at festivals like Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (2015) and Les Rencontres d’Arles (2017)

EDUCATION

2021 – Nikon-Noor Academy online master-class; tutors: Pep Bonet, Jon Lowenstein, Sanne de Wilde

2015-2016 – Academy of documentary photography and photojournalism 'Fotografika' (Saint-Petersburg, Russia)

2014 – Summer photography school held by Yarat! contemporary art space (Baku, Azerbaijan); tutors: Thomas Dworzak, Chien-Chi Chang, David Montgomery

2013-2014 – Educational program 'Documentary photography. Community', Fotodepartament Institute (Saint-Petersburg, Russia); tutor: Mikhail Domozhilov

GRANTS

2022, 2023 – V-A-C Foundation grant for artists and researchers (Russia)

AWARDS

2017 – LUMA Rencontres d'Arles Dummy Book Award, Shortlisted

2017 – Kassel Dummy Award, Shortlisted

2016 – Selfpublish Riga Dummy Award, Top-10 entries

RESIDENCIES

2023 – Artist residency 'Masaha: Cycle 5' in Misk Art Institute (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

2015 – Alanica international art residency. Curated by Nav Haq (Vladikavkaz, Russia)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS, FESTIVALS (Selected)

2025 – 'Split Together, Merged Apart', GES-2 (Moscow, Russia)

2023 – Masaha Cycle 5 Showcase, Prince Feisal bin Fahd Arts Hall (Riyadh, KSA)

2021 – 'Eastern Block Stories', Haus der Statistik (Berlin, Germany)

2020 – 'Taus Makhacheva — Hold Your Horses', The Tetley (Leeds, UK)

2018 – 'Caucasus. Reflection', Metenkov house of photography (Yekaterinburg, Russia)

2017 – 'Art for Peace', National Art Gallery (Islamabad, Pakistan)

2017 – Le Rencontres d'Arles (Arles, France)

2017 – Photobookfest 2017 (Moscow, Russia)

2017 – Istanbul Photobook Festival (Istanbul, Turkey)

2017 – Fotobookfestival (Kassel, Germany)

2016 – Photoparade International Festival of Photography (Uglich, Russia)

2016 – 'Okolofutbola', Metenkov house of photography (Yekaterinburg, Russia)

2016 – Riga Photomonth Festival (Riga, Latvia)

2015 – 6th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (Moscow, Russia)

2015 – Alanica 2015 final exhibition (Vladikavkaz, Russia)

2014 – 'Redeeming the Everyday', Yarat ! Studios (Baku, Azerbaijan)

2014 – Summer school final exhibition, Yay Gallery (Baku, Azerbaijan)

2014 – 'Positive/Negative', Centre of contemporary art (Makhachkala, Dagestan)

2013 – 'Dialogues with the City', Museum of history of Makhachkala (Makhachkala, Russia)

2012 – 'Minorities', Documentary photography center FOTODOC (Moscow, Russia)