Play is generally undefined by the ones that study it and the idea of play is guided by the state and attitude of the participant, where they are inspired to take an action. I seek to explore how toys and play spaces affect our ability to connect with culture, creating subtle rituals and attitudes in personal identity. I will create a series of sculptural and ceramic works that can be interacted with inside of an art installation that references Soviet childhood and its values. The objective for my creative project is to create a representation of Soviet culture and develop a better understanding of how play connects and constructs identity.
I use the idea of the Russian Nesting Doll to act as a metaphor for the layers of cultural knowledge that passes down through our connections with others and I will use the idea of the Nesting Doll to replicate a play space. Between the layers of the Doll, distortions of traditional patterns and symbols will help to achieve a distorted visual aesthetic, representing the way that migration creates a distortion in the way someone views their environment. This collection of artworks will encourage its viewers to think about greater ideas of heritage and how cultural ideas become rituals.
This idea is supported in the idea of acculturation, a phenomenon that includes the integration strategies of pursuing acclimation across cultures. Consumption culture in the area of Soviet childhood iconography has been defined by a shift in technical toys and media that reflected narratives of idealism, maturity, and responsibility. I am interested in how different types of encouraged play and interaction through toys and games affect social values and cultural ideas.
Over the summer, I will attend several museums in the New York area throughout the course of 7 days and document my experiences by using the artwork I view to create an art installation that references soviet childhood. I plan to explore artworks related to Soviet media, lifestyles, and the ideas behind play and connection while logging my observations of these artworks. Viewing its collections will allow me rich engagements with both contemporary and historical art practices and allow me to integrate chosen artworks as inspirations into a series of contemporary work. The museums that I interact with will inform the way that I create a playful environment and its essence into the work.
Throughout my duration at FSU as a BFA Studio Art major, I have dedicated myself to creative research, having completed the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program this past year. I intend to showcase my research and art through a formal defense in the Fall, coinciding with my Honors in the Major Thesis. Achieving the milestone of conducting my own independent research project will accelerate my artistic career in the Fine Arts. As for my future endeavors, this initiative will strengthen my resolve to confront social and cultural challenges.
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