Anastasia Savinova is a Russian artist based in Umeå, Sweden, who uses photomontage to capture the essence of different places and create fantastical yet believable images. Educated in Umeå Art Academy and Samara State Architectural University, Savinova has honed her skills through artist residencies in Sweden, Norway, Romania, and Spain. Her work has been exhibited in a variety of museums and galleries both in Sweden and internationally, including the Bildmuseet, Konstmuseet i Norr, Museum of Women in History, and Umeå Konsthall in Sweden, as well as the MUViM in Valencia, the Kunstwerk Carlshütte in Germany, and the König Gallery in London. Savinova's artwork is also held in several notable collections such as Moderna Museet in Stockholm and various regional and municipal collections in Sweden, and private collections worldwide.

Savinova's most well-known project, Genius Loci, explores the identity of particular cities and the unique atmosphere of each place through photomontages that combine images of vernacular buildings and remote landscapes. Each collage is composed of many buildings typical of a city or country, creating a visual representation of the spirit of that place.

In Genius Loci, Savinova explores the differences and similarities between places of habitation, capturing and collaging the faces of buildings in an effort to understand “the feeling of Place.” The series of artwork represents the identity of a particular city and its own atmosphere, through the connection of several photos. Each collage is composed of many buildings typical for a city or a country, in order to express the spirit of this place.

According to Savinova, “In this project I try to identify differences and to find similarities between places of habitation. Travelling around cities and countries, I take pictures of buildings, look into windows sneakily, go to local shops, flea markets and bars, watch everyday life – all this helps to build the feeling of the Place. This feeling becomes a foundation or a series of large-scale collages. The Integral Image emerges from visual information and a dozen of associations. While architecture and landscape are visual components of the integral image of the Place, at the same time, this image is inseparably linked with a mentality and a way of life. It is saturated with “an incorporeal something”. Ancient romans called it “genius loci” – the protective spirit of a place. In contemporary usage, “genius loci” refers to a location’s distinctive atmosphere. A Big house on each collage is composed of many buildings, which are typical for a particular country or city, in their connection with the land and the spirit of the Place.”

Anastasia Savinova's Genius Loci is a visually stunning and thought-provoking project that delves into the concept of place and identity. Through her use of photomontages, Savinova invites viewers to see the world in a different light, and to consider the connections between architecture, landscape, and the human experience. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of understanding and appreciating the unique character of our surroundings. The Genius Loci series is a testament to Savinova's ability to create a visual representation of the essence of a place, giving viewers a new way to understand and appreciate the world around them.

Anastasia also has another project, Sideway Encounters and Roadless Encounters, which focuses on places in-between: sheds and barns and other constructions, discovered during long road-trips, at times abandoned and ruined, secretly hidden outside the towns or solemnly standing in the middle of nowhere, lost in vast fields of grass or dusty roadsides, juxtaposed with powerful nature. These large-scale collages visualize particular atmosphere, the breath of these poetic and enigmatic “in-between” places.

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