Carpet №5.
Viktor Vasnetsov`s painting “Ivan Tsarevich riding
the Gray Wolf” (1889) was used here as a point of reference.

Carpet №7.
In this artwork I refer to the painting named “Bathing of a Red Horse” by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin (1912).

Carpet №8.
In this artwork I use the part of the painting named “Pioneers in Karelia” by Finnish painter Pekka Hallonen (1900) as a point of reference.

Carpet №1.
In this artwork I refer to Vasily Perov`s “The Hunters at Rest” painting completed in 1871.

Carpet №6.
Among the carpets that adorned the walls and floors in the Soviet Union during the second half of the 20th century, some of the most popular were those featuring images of deer. These carpets became a special element of decor and a symbol of the home cosiness and comfort in the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet countries.

Carpet №2.
Here I use a reference to Ivan Shishkin`s painting “Morning in a Pine Forest” (1889).

Carpet №4.
In this artwork I use the “Merchant's Wife at Tea”-painting as a point of reference. Russian artist Boris Kustodiev created this artwork in 1918.

Carpet №3.
In this artwork I refer to the painting “Bogatyrs” by Russian artist Viktor Vasnetsov (1898).

The central object and the recurring theme in this series of my artworks is the carpet. Here I refer specifically to the tradition of hanging carpets and rugs on walls, a practice which is deeply rooted in Eastern and Post-Soviet cultures. Quite often classical Russian artworks were reproduced on such wall carpets which embedded them further into the cultural identity. Although this design trend has largely faded into nostalgia, it remains a distinctive and recognisable component of Post-Soviet and Russian culture.

Thus, in this series, I evoke the image of a carpet as an eastern cultural code, deeply intertwined with the complexities of contemporary global migration issues. The adaptation of migrants to a new environment, nostalgia for their own homeland and culture, and other related issues refer to the personal memory`s embodiment in the art practices of an artist with migrant background.

In some of artworks from this series, I revisit the theme of the window as both a threshold and complex lens between the inner and outer worlds. An open window invites the viewer to interact with the world outside, allowing them to engage with life beyond. Conversely, when the outside feels dark, unfamiliar, or even hostile, one can retreat from this reality by either closing the window or drawing the curtains, thus hiding themselves from that reality. This series of artworks depicts my emotional and aesthetic reflection on the complexities, challenges and unpredictability of today’s reality.