This series consists of blue ink drawings on white paper—some of them used as plates stereotypes—and it is inspired by ornamental painting styles used in many countries of the former USSR, such as “Khokhloma,” a Russian wood painting handicraft style and national ornament known for its vivid floral patterns.
Here, however, the artists appropriates this specific language in order to manipulate it and transform it into a style depicting the female body, which is a recurring theme in her practice. Such clash—a folkloristic decorative technique, such as Khokhloma, used to create works that echo a classical genre in fine arts, such as nude drawing—can be seen as a metaphor for the cultural diversity in which the artist is immersed, mixing her Russian background with her current life in the Middle East.
Girl with Birds, 2015. Ink on paper, 29.7 × 42 cm
Girl Sleeping, 2015. Ink on paper, 29.7 × 42 cm
Mermaid with Crabs, 2015. Ink on paper, 29.7 × 42 cm
Girl with Flowers, 2015. Ink on paper, 29.7 × 42 cm
Girl with Fish, 2015. Ink on paper, 21 × 29.7 cm
Girl with Unicorn, 2015. Ink on paper, 21 × 29.7 cm
Lovers, 2015. Ink on paper, 29.7 × 42 cm
Girl Bathing in Flowers, 2015. Ink on paper, 21 × 29.7 cm