Die Studentin aus Moskau lebt gerade ein Jahr in Hamburg, um hier an der Kunsthochschule (HFBK) bei Professorin Pia Stadtbäumer zu studieren. Elizaveta Ostapenko fühlte sich zu Beginn der Pandemie deutlich beeinträchtigt, bis sie es endlich schaffte, mit der Situation klar zu kommen. Mit drei Bildern war sie auf der Jahresausstellung vertreten. Die Fragen hat mir die junge Künstlerin auf ihren Wunsch auf Englisch beantwortet (obwohl sie verblüffend gut deutsch spricht).
5 Fragen an Elizaveta Ostapenko
How about this very special digital Jahresausstellung – what kind of experience was it for you? What are your thoughts?
„This experience was completely new to me. Before, I took part in some projects where I showed my video works online. But I never tried to show my physical pieces in that way. So it was a challenge. I think this format pushed me to rethink the concept of the presentation and the interaction with the viewer.“
In how far and to what extent did the corona crisis affect you as an artist?
„At the beginning of the pandemic, the most influential part for me was a lack of personal interaction with other artists and art institutions. I could not go to the openings anymore and I could not meet new people. I found myself in a kind of informational bubble, where was just me and my work, without any external influences. And it is a very unusual experience for me. Now, I learned how to adapt to this situation. I kept in touch with my colleagues online and found many online resources to develop my work: I took part in the online residency and showed my work at the online film festival, where I met a lot of interesting people.“
Is there anything you could learn or comprehend in the crisis for your artistic work?
„During the crisis, I understood how important it is for me to divide the studio and the living space. I had to work a couple of months at home, where I was always surrounded by my works. I had the same picture in front of me every day, which was very uncomfortable both for my work development and resting time. Therefore, now I know how to structure my routine more beneficially.“
„I found myself in a kind of informational bubble …without any external influences.“
– Elizaveta Ostapenko
What is the main idea of your pieces of art in the Jahresausstellung?
„At the exhibition, I present three works from the series of posters: one painting and two etching prints. This series is based on scraps of posters and advertisements found in the city. I feel very inspired about how many different textures and images can naturally appear on street walls. These abstract compositions, which I photographed, became a foundation for the series. They play the role of instructions for experiments – they dictate the proportions, colours, and composition of the works.“
„I feel very inspired about how many different textures and images can naturally appear on street walls.“
– Elizaveta Ostapenko
How does it go on in the near future? What are your thoughts about your future and your artistic work?
„At the moment I am working on a series of sculptural works. This is a new direction for me, as I did not work much with volume before. However, I feel very excited about it and I hope it will give me a lot of space for experiments. I am looking forward to sharing it with you soon.“
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