Elyor Nematov, was born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan currently works as a freelance photojournalist and conducts documentary photography workshops, training students to produce stories relevant to Central Asia. Previously, he worked as photo editor and as a photographer and reporter for business and sports magazines in Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Elyor, participated in many national and international Contests and Exhibitions in Russia and Central Asia. His first personal project and book “Children of Bukhara” was presented in Tashkent in 2008.
In 2012, Elyor received a grant from the Open Society Foundation’s Documentary Photography Project and started his project about Labour Migration From Central Asia. Yuri Kozyrev was the mentor of his project. The project was named “I AM A FOREIGNER”. In 2013 was a finalist of Audience Engagement Grant from OSI Foundations. In 2014 was nominated for LOOKbetween 2014.
Currently Elyor continues to work on a project “I AM A FOREIGNER” creating a series of a photostories and multimedia.
An estimated 5-6 million people from Central Asia migrate to Russia every year in search of work. I Am a Foreigner documents the journey of these migrants as they travel by train from Central Asia, and illustrates the realities they face upon arrival in their new home.
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