“There are a lot of rumors now about what is possible and what is not” – Style

Lidia Ruskova-Hasaya is a multidisciplinary artist and director. Over the past few years, she has managed to stage the play “She is Us,” with which she tours around the country. In 2023, she presented her works at international venues for the first time: on February 15, Ruskova-Hasaya opened her own exhibition at The Ria Keburia Foundation for Contemporary Art in Georgia; On May 19, during the opening of the Venice Architecture Biennale, she presented her public art installation Portal. Now she will debut at the Cosmoscow contemporary art fair. We talked with Lydia about how Russian artists can participate in international projects, the intricacies of the craft and the difference between solo exhibitions and biennales.

— What are your works about?

— At Cosmoscow I present two works, both of which are special projects as part of the fair. One of them is a total installation, it is called Chamber Experience I. This is the first of a series of installations that I have in mind. This is a space into which a person enters and gains some kind of experience, hopefully a physical one. In my practice, I often turn to the theme of the sky, and inside there will be video art of the sky, which I have been filming all over the world for the last four years – this is the result of many years of research. There will also be sound art inside – this is a track that will be played once an hour. Therefore, if you want to immerse yourself in silence, take your mind off your phone and be with yourself, you can come in when it’s quiet. There is a lot of noise and excitement at the fair, but this is a clean space. If you want to get a more voluminous impression, you can achieve this through audiovisual stimulation. This is a neoclassical composition inspired by an opera that I wrote and perform.

— Is the exhibit a separate room?

– Yes. From the outside it looks like a box, a very simple architectural form. But inside, on the contrary, a more complex architecture awaits you. For example, I am bringing the form of a pantheon into this small space, in the oculus of which there will be my video art of the sky – this is also a commentary on the topic of ecology, a reason to think about where we are moving.

The second work is called Cycle. It is a little reminiscent of an entrance or even a portal somewhere, it is a looping form.

It is partially filled with Vivilen granules – these are polymer granules with the addition of recycled plastic from the SIBUR company. They are used to produce environmentally friendly packaging for drinks and various products. They represent the grains of sand of time, like in an hourglass. In Russia, the topic of waste recycling is only gaining momentum, so I think it is important to draw attention to this and support such projects. My mother is from the city of Kineshma on the Volga, I spent a lot of time there as a child, and I see how the river suffers from poor ecology: it becomes smaller, and waste and garbage often remain on the banks. I would like the culture of caring for nature to be more popularized in our country.

— Today it is becoming increasingly difficult for Russian artists to enter the international market. During 2023, your works have been presented in Georgia, Venice and now in Moscow. How did you do it?

— In general, I am very glad that there are examples of Russian artists exhibiting abroad. Nowadays there are a lot of stereotypes and rumors about what is possible and what is not. The most important thing is what kind of artist you are, what kind of practice you have and what kind of person you are. My many years of practice helped me: I had a lot of material and I already had something to show. For several years I have been sowing and it is finally time to reap the fruits. It is also very important to build relationships within the community. In the West there is a more coherent system of work – grants, residencies, patronage of specific galleries. In our country this system is less structured, so the human factor plays a big role: your reputation, how to work with you, and so on. For example, the director of a foundation in Georgia with whom I worked said that she had heard a lot about me from people she trusted. Then I showed her my portfolio, and after that we decided to work together on an exhibition. It is also important to note that both before Georgia and before Venice, my projects were already ready – I came to these people with a ready-made idea and material that I already had.

— How difficult is it to “transport” art across the border?

“I wanted to do everything locally: use local labor, buy materials within the country – to feel what it was like to work in these conditions. I thought about bringing objects from Russia – it is very expensive and time-consuming, but possible. Both in Georgia and in Venice I recreated exhibits on site. Plus, it’s very important for an artist to have a team; I couldn’t do it all myself. I have advisors, gallerists, curators, architects – a large pool of people whom I trust and with whom I work to realize my ideas.

— This is your debut at Cosmoscow. Why did you choose this particular fair?

— I’ve been going to Cosmoscow for many years and am very familiar with it. It should be noted that this is the leading international contemporary art fair in Russia. In recent years, they have begun to have competitors in this area, but, in my opinion, Cosmoscow is the most important event. It attracts a huge number of people, I really like the galleries that are presented there. Plus, I like how this fair positions itself – in this regard, we speak the same language with them.

— What is the difference between a personal exhibition and participation in a biennale/fair?

— These are qualitatively different events. If you exhibit in a gallery, then your main task is to sell. At fairs too, but there are also special projects (like, for example, my work Cycle) – in the future they will go to the corporate collection. For example, “Portal”, presented in Venice, will go either to a private collection or to some kind of foundation. Projects such as participation in Cosmoscow are prestigious and important. At various biennales, curators take works into their funds and collections – and then you are recognized by some institution and can say that your works have become part of a specific collection. Art has many factors that influence pricing: pricing policy, auction houses for young art, residences.

– Residences?

— A residency is when an artist is given the opportunity to work in certain conditions. Some provide only accommodation, others take care of the materials, some pay a stipend. The artist creates his work, and the residence either organizes an exhibition or sells the exhibits, but most often takes the art into its collection.

— Has the demand for contemporary art in Russia changed—and in what direction?

– Yes. It should be noted that the contemporary art market in Russia is very young and began to develop literally over the last ten years. Over the past year and a half, many artists and curators have left the country, but, oddly enough, the demand and interest in something new continues to grow. It becomes fashionable, and a certain system begins to form around it. The market is developing, and this is very important. Because art is always a reflection of what we live.

Interviewed by Ilya Petruk