ROMAN ADLER
Documentary Photographer. Author of The Humans v.21.
THE HUMANS V.21
Five acts about people of the 21st century living at the turning point of an era.
Manifesto · About the Author · Project Structure · Recognition · Media Materials · Contacts
MANIFESTO
The Gold of the Territories
We live in an era when masks are torn off, revealing the true weight of things.
There are two worlds. The world of the Big Earth — often shiny, but empty. And there is the World of the Territories. There is nothing to hide behind gloss. There remain charred skeletons, broken roads… and People.
The Humans v.21 project is a search for what has true value. This is the fundamental Humanity that does not disappear, but only emerges more clearly when the decorations collapse.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Over the past years, Roman Adler has been exploring the lives of people at the turning point of an era. His optics reject superficial reporting on chaos. Instead, the lens becomes a tool of quiet resistance: it captures the feat of everyday existence.
The main heroes of his works are people without a name. Those whose voices are rarely heard in news reports, but whose dignity and ability to continue living make them true keepers of meaning.
Adler’s works are a visual dialogue with the classical humanistic tradition. The project’s exhibitions have taken place in Moscow, Strasbourg, Suzdal, and other cities, and publications have appeared in international and Russian media.
PROJECT STRUCTURE
The project is structured as a visual novel consisting of five interconnected parts:
Act I. “Planet Without Wars”
Peaceful everyday life as the highest form of resistance to chaos. People for whom “ordinariness” in our time is a gift and a feat.
Act II. “Territories”
Life that continues despite everything. War is the background. Life is the main thing.
Act III. “Children Always Remain Children”
The inviolability of the inner world. Those who preserve the human face in a world of absurdity. Not for the sake of pity, but for the sake of recording indestructible dignity.
Act IV. “Being Unrecognized”
Dignity beyond maps and registers. Inner light and the right to life that do not depend on political decisions.
Act V. “Russian View: China”
A meeting of civilizations. A dialogue of cultures through the lens. A search for universal meanings in a unique historical context.
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
International Resonance
The project has been recognized by the professional community and is regularly included in shortlists and rankings of international awards in documentary photography and photojournalism.
Publications
Project materials have been published in specialized international publications (Dodho Magazine, NPhoto Magazine, WGP FLiP Magazine, etc.), as well as in federal media, where it was noted that the works not only document the consequences of events but also show the restoration of the destroyed as a lifelong mission.
Publications
Author of the monograph “For Life” (2023) and a number of collectible photo books published by leading publishing houses.
MEDIA MATERIALS
Upon request, the following are provided:
- Package of high-resolution images (300 dpi, RGB/CMYK)
- Author’s portrait
- Technical rider
- Additional materials for publications and exhibitions
CONTACTS FOR PROFESSIONAL DIALOGUE
Galleries, curators, foundations, and media.
I am open to conversation with those who value silence and meaning.
Contacts
The Humans v.21 project is open to dialogue.
For inquiries from galleries, curators, and foundations:
Communication Channels
For inquiries from galleries, curators, and foundations. We are open to dialogue with those who share the values of the project.