The heroine of our interview is St. Petersburg artist Taisia Suvorova — a participant in the Print Exchange "Moscow–Saint Petersburg" project and a winner of the Boris Piotrovsky and "ART START" competitions. We talked about her printmaking techniques, the symbiosis of genres in visual art, sources of inspiration, and plans for the future.
When did you decide to become an artist and where did you receive your education?
I began drawing in early childhood. According to my mother's recollections, when I learned to crawl I immediately started decorating the sofas, walls, and every object I could reach. When I was 3–4 years old, my mother took me to an art studio. At first they didn't want to accept me because enrollment started at age seven, but later they allowed me to a trial lesson where I demonstrated perseverance and enthusiasm. They took me in; I studied at the art studio for four years, and then I moved from my small settlement to the town of Vyborg. There I graduated from art school with honors. In ninth grade I wanted to enroll in an architectural and construction college, but at the last moment my teachers from art school discouraged me. I stayed to finish high school and at the same time visited open days at St. Petersburg universities. In the end I chose the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design. I really liked the variety of the academy's curriculum: applicants have a wide choice of directions, from theoretical and art-history to practical and applied disciplines. I spent the entire 11th grade preparing for admission in courses and ultimately passed into the paid department. I studied the first year on a paid basis, and the next year I was able to transfer to a state-funded spot. For the first two years I studied in the book graphics department, but then I realized that it wasn't quite for me, because the book format is narrower than the format of decorative-applied art and easel graphics. I understood that I prefer to draw and tell something of my own rather than be tied to a book format and the author's opinion. Therefore I later transferred to easel graphics.
Artwork "Center of the Outskirts"
Which techniques do you like to work in and why?
I like working in printmaking techniques. Unlike hand techniques, printmaking allows a certain degree of experimentation. You never know what will turn out in the end because the print technique itself dictates a particular form of visual art. I work in linocut, cardboard engraving, etching, and screenprinting (serigraphy). I enjoy working in experimental techniques, combining the incompatible. For example, I sometimes combine cardboard engraving and linocut with unusual textures—meshes, pieces of paper—which results in interesting collage works. In addition, I like combining new digital technologies with traditional art. I often refine drawings made by hand and turn them into 3D objects.
Where do you draw inspiration from, which artists impress you?
Recently I draw inspiration from travel and movement. When I stay in one place for too long, my "optics" dull and I stop noticing interesting things around me. Any change of scenery—even a trip into nature—helps to reboot and look at everything from a new perspective. Trips to new countries and cities and interesting people nearby inspire me. As for artists, to me they are inseparable from their biographies. First and foremost I am always interested in the person themselves, and then their art. Sometimes individual paintings catch my attention, but it's very important for me to learn more about the artist and the reasons that pushed them to create the work. For example, I am very inspired by Mikhail Vrubel. He had a fascinating biography: he created with an unhealthy obsession, but within it lay a powerful artistic force. I also love the work of the expressionist Francis Bacon. He was self-taught without formal education and managed to develop his own unique artistic language. I'm also inspired by artists who do performance art. Among them I especially highlight Marina Abramović, who elevated performance to a cult and told the events of her life through art.
Which creative projects are especially valuable to you?
I had an interesting experience participating in the Print Exchange "Moscow–Saint Petersburg," which involved 10 artists from St. Petersburg and 10 artists from Moscow. As part of the project, each participant had to create images of their city using printmaking techniques. Creating images with printmaking was the only requirement—otherwise artists were not limited in genres or means of artistic expression. The project culminated in a large exhibition of works in St. Petersburg and Moscow, during which participants exchanged pieces.
Which competitions have you participated in?
I created a large-format series of graphic works related to the image of Peter I. The theme may seem rather banal, but I interpreted it as "Power and Death." I wanted to show not only the ruler's grandeur but also the flip side of his reign. While preparing for the competition I went to the Kunstkamera to make sketches. This series took first place in the Boris Piotrovsky competition and was included in an exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery on Krymsky Val.
Series "Power and Death"
Also in 2022 I won the "ART START" competition for young artists of St. Petersburg with the series "Transformation."
Series "Transformation"
What are your creative plans for the future?
I would like to obtain another art education in a different country. I want to focus not only on graphics but also to master some contemporary multimedia specialty. I want to take part more in collaborations with other artists, so right now I am actively contacting various art residencies. I'd also like to do a large-scale solo exhibition featuring works from new series. The new series will be about emotions. All my works more or less tell of unspoken feelings that are not always possible to express in words, so to build a dialogue with viewers and the outside world I use the language of symbols and various visual means.
