On 14 March, 2008 an exhibition titled “The Legend” and dedicated to Ioseph Budnevich, the father of Kazakhstan’s photojournalism, took place at the Central Exhibition Hall of Almaty. He was the first private photographer of the President of Kazakhstan, and is considered to be the chronicler of both Soviet and Independent Kazakhstan. He passed away on 11 March, 2007.

Joseph Lvovich began his artistic career at “Leninskaya Smena” newspaper and later worked for KazTAG. For a number of decades his photographs were published in all national and regional publications, and Budnevich is regarded by many to be the photo-correspondent of the entire era. He is particularly known for the world-famous photograph, subject of which was Nursultan Nazarbayev closing the Semipalatinsk nuclear range.

The exhibition presented 106 works of Ioseph Budnevich, and is the second exhibition in the memory of the photography master.

“His work is an example of selfless enduring dedication to his profession, which he chose once and for life,” said Alexander Baron, the president of the Association of Jewish National Organisations of Kazakhstan “Mitsva”, “He was distinguished by his culture, modesty and simplicity, his professional approach and a sense of responsibility. His work covers a whole epoch - the history of our country, formation and the development of sovereign Kazakhstan.‘My whole being is reflected in my works and photographs. Photography is everything to me. It is my life, my destiny’ – this was often reiterated by Ioseph Lvovich.”

With his camera, Budnevich travelled not only Kazakhstan, but the entire world. He witnessed the birth of the City Temirtau and Kyzyl Kum array in Kyzil Orda region, the building of Irtysh-Karaganda canal and of the Achisay alloy plant in Kentau. He photographed the cultivation of unfarmed lands, flights of the Cosmonauts from Baikonur and their return to the Earth. He was always to offer advice on photography, and as a result, many famous photographers consider him their teacher. Budnevich provided them with the skill of seeing a photograph before it is taken.

During his work, Ioseph Lvovich had met many remarkable persons. Warm friendly relations were formed with the writers Gabit Musrepov and Sergey Martyanov, and he was deeply affected by Kanysh Satpaev. He photographed the first tractor tracks on the virgin soils when they were visited by Nikita Hruschev, Leonid Brezhnev and other government representatives of the republic and the country.

Ioseph Budnev was granted many awards, such as the title of Distinguished Artist of Kazakhstan, order “Kurmet”, and “10 Years of Kazakhstan’s Independence” medal. In 2001 he was chosen to become an Associated Fellow of the Academy of Kazakhstan Journalism. A year later he was awarded with the golden “Altyn Samruk” trophy for his contribution to the development of the country’s journalism.

Anna Naumova