Diana Ridaf is a visual artist working with photography and video. Born in Tashkent (Uzbekistan).
Graduate of the Docdocdoc school of contemporary photography (St. Petersburg).
Winner, prize-winner, finalist and laureate of international competitions, including Gomma Photography Grant, College Photographer of the Year (CPOY), SEnECA Photography Award, IOM CA Photostory Project, 10th International Photography Competition “Young People in the 21st Century”. Participant of collective exhibitions in the USA, Colombia, Italy, Belgium, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan. Debut experimental film Taste Me (2025) was screened at international film festivals and is a winner at the 2026 Chiayi City International 3-Minute Film Festival. Her work has been published in F-Stop Magazine, Bibin Photography Magazine, Trois Points Mag, 6MOIS, Post Pravda Magazine, Open Asia Online and others.
In her personal projects, Diana explores themes of gender stereotypes, consumption and sexuality. Her latest projects focus on the representation of the female body in popular culture — in magazines, cinema and advertising. In her work, the artist often uses self-portraiture as an artistic tool, turning her own body into a means of exploring social and cultural phenomena. Using irony, absurdity and visual provocation, she makes visible what is usually perceived as the norm and thereby opens up space for critical reflection.
Exhibitions:
2026 – group exhibition ARYQ Fest (Almaty, Kazakhstan);
2026 – group exhibition “Beauty: Archived“as part of the 61st Venice Biennale at the Palazzo da Mula (Venice, Italy);
2026 – group exhibition “Artificial Imagination“ PROMPT festival (Brescia, Italy);
2026 – group exhibition “1st VideoHackBo Experimental Exhibition“ (Bogotá, Colombia);
2026 – group exhibition “CPOY/POY Awards” at the Missouri School of Journalism (Columbia, Missouri);
2022 – group exhibition “CPOY/POY Awards” at the Missouri School of Journalism (Columbia, Missouri);
2021 – group exhibition “CPOY/POY Awards” at the Missouri School of Journalism (Columbia, Missouri);
2019 — group exhibition “Capture the essence of Central Asia in a picture” at the BOZAR Fine Arts Center (Brussels, Belgium);
2018 — group exhibition “Young People in the 21st Century” (Kaunas, Lithuania);
2017 — group exhibition “Migrants: An Invisible Force in Central Asia” (Almaty, Kazakhstan; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).
Awards:
2026 — 2026 Chiayi City International 3-Minute Film Festival (Best Prop Design Award)
2025 – Gomma Photography Grant (Winner GOMMA New Flavour Award at the 2024 Gomma Grant);
2025 – College Photographer of the Year (Finalist in the Illustration category);
2022 – College Photographer of the Year (Award of excellence in the Portrait category);
2021 – College Photographer of the Year (Silver in the Portrait category);
2019 — SEnECA Photography Award (winner);
2018 – 10th International Photography Competition “Young People in the 21st Century” (finalist in the nomination for creative search);
2017 — IOM CA Photostory Project (3rd place).
Education:
2023 – 2025 – School of Contemporary Photography Docdocdoc (Saint Petersburg, Russia);
2020 – 2022 – School of Contemporary Photography Docdocdoc (Saint Petersburg, Russia).
Film festivals:
2025 — No Reason Short Film Festival;
2025 — Lift-Off Sessions 2025 Volume 11
2026 – 2026 Chiayi City International 3-Minute Film Festival (Best Prop Design Award)
2026 – Nikon Film Festival
Publications:
Works have been published in F-Stop Magazine, Bibin Photography Magazine, Trois Points Mag, 6MOIS, Post Pravda Magazine, Open Asia Online and others.