Lita Poliakova: tearing, destroying and creating
It's impressive how a single story can inspire such diversity through different mediums! Visual artists from around the world are taking part in WHISTLE project, in an attempt to present a multi-sensory experience never attempted before in the Greek visual art scene. And that's because we do not think of visual art as an experience that when viewed fades away, but as an excuse, a triggering event, a reason to produce an artistic conversation and a literal dialogue with everyone interested. This is the way we feel visual art should work.
In this article we meet visual artist, Lita Poliakova, from Germany.
Why did you decide to participate and what intrigued you in Whistle project?
The more international artist - the better. In my art I am trying to broaden the horizons and I do the same in my personal life. The project seemed attractive because of its collaborative nature and the myth on which the topic is based.
What was your workflow?
I was contemplating on the provided material, and was trying to find the expressive way to contribute.
What was your artistic style, any influences?
After more than three years of extensive work in collage medium I found my own approach of tearing, destroying and creating, which is still enigmatic and puzzling. The charm is in non-intepretable experience.
Do you believe in superstitions?
I used to be superstitious before I discovered the cognitive psychology and realized the fact that everything immaterial is in the head. But sure, when I dive into rationalizations, I tend to believe in whatever irrational affairs.
What do you want people to see in your works?
I would be happy if one can sense numinous suspense of the scene, chimeric encounters, which are invisible in the daily life. The key here is to penetrate to the surreal through imposed layers.
Can you make a comment on the idea of collective storytelling?
I found a collective storytelling the most constructive way of presenting phenomena, various contributions enrich the perspective. It’s like a compound eye.
Why should people support this project, why go to the exhibition?
Myths are suppressed by the modern culture and contaminated by mass media. Via art we can refer to the historical heritage, reinvent notions, and revive forgotten knowledge in order to evolve. The question is not why people should go to the exhibition, but how to approach the viewer and capture one’s attention. I noticed that people tend to see art as an entertainment. Art events are either a party or means of socializing or B2B happenings for artists. In order to get visibility and attract the audience the support and promotion should arise at the institutional level, which is almost never the case in real life. That’s why every show is a great victory and the result of the struggle, fight for engagement and attention. It should be properly celebrated and spread around.
All the works created for WHISTLE project by Lita, will be available to the public during the transmedia exhibition.
Being a visual artist, LITA conceptualizes generously, consumes respectfully, digests constantly, transforms vividly! Her practice evolved from traumatic experiences and a feminist approach. After abandoning ideologies, she turned to social constructionism and cognitive psychology in order to separate herself from the mass culture paradigm. Using anthropological, philosophical and psychological approaches, and collage and painting as her mediums, LITA reviews standard and conventional ideas. She builds her practice on interconnected phenomena: conceptualization of the common matter of being, consumption, digestion and transformation. Considering conceptualization as a natural way of comprehension, constant mental and physical consumption, inevitable digestion and, as its result, transformation, she visualizes these processes in graphic works. Based on the fact that all living organisms consist of the same set of chemical elements, LITA approaches equally both animate and inanimate life forms.