Minidioramas, mixed media, 24х15х33см, 2018
Crimea is a warm memory dragged into the darkness of political intricacies.
Being an artist from Kazakhstan and doing a project about Crimea in Ukraine may seem a speculation. But the Crimean situation is important for the entire post-Soviet space, especially those countries that border Russia and have a long history of complex relations. Immediately after the events in Crimea in 2014, there were fears in Kazakhstan over the country’s northern regions, as articles about “Southern Siberia” appeared in the Russian press. For many in Kazakhstan, Crimea became a symbol of the danger that hung over the country. But, sadly, this fear of invasion is also an illusory “guarantor of stability” for multinational Kazakhstan, in that it holds back nationalist sentiments inherent of the post-colonial syndrome. Using arthropods to address this complex topic, the artist explores the nature of power, of fear and apprehension, of a history shared by post-Soviet countries.
Materials used: old images of Crimea found at flea markets in Kyiv, creations made by Holothele incei, Pterinochilus murinus and Ceratogyrus darlingi species of tarantulas, wood, glass, led-lights.