The first time I was struck by how another person talked about human and object relationships was before I studied art. Soul (Dzhan) is a book in essence about bringing socialism to the outskirts of the soviet union but there is so much more about parasocial interactions. Written by Andrej Platonov in 1935, the protagonist Nazar Chagataev speaks with such longing and sensitivity about inanimate objects,
Secretly he was saying his goodbyes to all the dead objects here. One day they would come to life, by themselves or with the help of man. He went round all the unneeded things in the yard and touched them with his hand; for some reason he wanted them to remember him and love him. But he didn't believe they would. ―Andrey Platonov
His need to be loved and remembered is so fundamental to what it means to be human. And don't we see this reflected in our own lives?
People, especially new people ask the same questions “But what do you actually do?” or another personal favourite “Can you actually make money with that?”. I think I am not alone when I say that I dread these introductions, I don't really want to repeat the artist statement off my website and honestly, I don't think someone who has just met me wants to hear that either. I need something quick and snappy that can change the conversation or make them make a quick exit whilst still avoiding talking about my financial existential dread.
“I work with a variety of materials, such as glass, concrete, and found objects to create paintings and installations that evoke themes of memory, conflict, and society. The work emphasizes the transformative power of materials as information carriers and how they carry cultural, personal, and sensory significance. Often working with suspended installations, I am interested in exploring the physicality of objects and materiality focusing on their ability to transform space and perception.”
It's still too long to memorise.
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