Marianna Volkova Russian journalist and photographer Date of Birth: 19.10.1946 Country: USA

1. Biography of Marianna Volkova
2. Early Career
3. Move to Moscow and Marriage
4. Photography in America
5. Meeting Joseph Brodsky and Sergei Dovlatov

Biography of Marianna Volkova

Marianna Volkova was born in Oranienbaum, a small town near Leningrad, Russia. The town was not particularly well-known, with the exception of its famous composer, Stravinsky. However, Marianna managed to bring some fame to her hometown, becoming one of its two famous residents. When she was only nine months old, her family was forced to leave Oranienbaum and they settled in Petrozavodsk, a picturesque town on the shores of Lake Onega. It was here that Marianna developed a special love for black and white photography, as the landscapes of Petrozavodsk were not particularly vibrant.

Early Career

Marianna's mother was a pianist, and it was assumed that Marianna would follow in her footsteps. After completing music school in Petrozavodsk, Marianna enrolled in the conservatory in Leningrad. However, her passion for photography began to overshadow her interest in playing the piano.

Move to Moscow and Marriage

After marrying writer Solomon Volkov, Marianna moved to Moscow. She found a kindred spirit in Solomon, who wrote about interesting people in his books, while Marianna captured them in her photographs. In 1976, they decided to leave the country and relocated to New York.

Photography in America

New York at that time was a unique phenomenon, with celebrities seemingly on every corner. The move was primarily motivated by the desire to publish Dmitry Shostakovich's memoirs in the United States. In America, Marianna became even more involved in photography. In 1978, she successfully organized an exhibition of her works at Columbia University. The university magazine commissioned Marianna for a reportage, during which the name of Joseph Brodsky came up. At that time, the future Nobel laureate was relatively unknown.

Meeting Joseph Brodsky and Sergei Dovlatov

Marianna attended a lecture by Brodsky with Solomon and, to her surprise, the poet agreed to pose for her. These conversations with Brodsky served as the basis for Marianna's most popular book, "Dialogues with Brodsky." During this time, the Volkovs also interacted extensively with another famous Russian immigrant, the legendary writer Sergei Dovlatov. Together, Marianna, Solomon, and Sergei created a whole album of captivating stories and photographs. The album caught the attention of "Nedelya," an appendix to the newspaper "Izvestiya." Despite facing obstacles, their work was eventually published in the Soviet press.

Through a fortunate coincidence, this publication in "Nedelya" became Dovlatov's first publication in the USSR.