In this linocut print series I am portraying people in their own homes, with their social masks off, without any attempts to fit anybody else‘s standards or be liked. In our daily lives, we are trying to perform a theatrical performance of sorts – when we are surrounded by other people, depending on the circumstances, we accept some kind of a role: at work – the role of an employee or a leader, at studies – the role of a student, in public spaces – the role of an acceptable and put-together citizen, etc.. The home environment seems to be the only place, where a person can feel free and express themselves in a way that is most true and comfortable to them. This is also the space that they can create and form according to their likes and wishes, and through the way they decorate and form this space I am creating separate characters. The space speaks of them more than they themselves: I use it as a reflection of their ‘true self’. One of the main things in that space is musical merchandise and symbols, as I believe that it is one of the most important cultural aspects that form one‘s identity and the way they perceive the world.

I start off the series with three prints of my own kitchen and a character in it. You could say that it is me talking about myself, as you should, before you try to talk about somebody else's experiences.

I photographed these illustrations in the environment that has inspired them - my own post-soviet kitchen, which has evolved quite a bit since the time I started them.

The colourful and messy environment enhances and enriches the bold black&white aesthetic of the prints, or so I think.

The second part of the series are imaginary characters in their imaginary rooms. I build them from scratch by adding different objects, such as plants, merchandise, loose clothes and other reflections of comfort and life at the given space.

I am looking for interesting and unexpected angles and points of view that could both express the mood (in this case, melancholy and dissociation) as accurately as possible as well as create an interesting composition.

Although i mostly show bohemian young people, I am trying to express how different they can be and how many sides there may be to them that you do not usually notice in shallow social interactions and public spaces.