Alexander efros
Lockdown observations
I kinda lived like that anyway. Some things have changed, but not many. In terms of lockdown, as you know, places are open now in Russia - I was at the museum just yesterday. I think people accepted the inevitability of death relatively quickly.
I had no choice but to work more, which is great because I am quite pleased with my progress. I sort of lost some friends throughout the lockdown but worked hard indeed. I don't think the lockdown was the only motivational factor in a way, and even if it was - not a good way to motivate anyone. It is more out of necessity I still was working pretty consistently, but here you have no choice which is a good thing and a bad thing and thank god...who doesn't exist of course...I have something to do with myself.
In terms of separations, some people turned heavily to drugs during lockdown which is understandable, but not ideal of cause. When you are in that situation when everything is shut down and shit like this - you can see if people were genuinely interested in you or whether they treated you like a piece of the environment or something. Nothing forces them to connect with you. I suppose I didn't lose anyone for real some things were never really there. Just this notion was diluted by social crap. It is not a bad thing, or a good one - it is what it is.
I think people accepted the inevitability of death relatively quickly.
To be fully honest 80% of the process is routine, and only 20% is creative. You need this routine to get shit done.
It is such a beautiful piece
I wanted to do jewellery for a couple of years now. At the time I wasn't ready - didn't have an overall vision I guess. It is also a very time - consuming craft, and it becomes quite pricey fast so I do per person on- demand pieces mainly.
I realised that I cannot be focusing- dedicated on a single activity. When I switch tasks it also protects me from not burning out from them. Drawing, or anything else for this matter, is quite annoying sometimes, not fun at all.
I don't think I am a conceptual artist. Ideological schemes do not overlay what I do and are not interesting to me that much. I suppose there is one single pretty down to earth ''concept'', a philosophy or rather a leitmotif of sorts, that goes through everything that I do. What I am trying to achieve - is to create certain imagery that triggers people's feelings and intellectual processes on a subconscious level. Admiration words such as ''it is such a beautiful piece'' or any theoretical approval mean nothing.
I am trying to create a visual language that can be more or less my own. Within this visual language, I can trigger some thoughts and patterns. The most important thing to me if this painting, illustration, tattoo or a sculpture or whatever is working. It's the chemistry of this visual aesthetics & flaws of depiction that are functional in terms of the viewer and the within the object itself. Because 90% when I am drawing I don't know what the fuck I am doing, and for me it is okay. I want to create this connection, and it is fucking possible but it does require a lot form the viewer. If I knew what I'm about to do on a canvas or paper and so on - the process not only will never evolve but will suffer from the lack of excitement, there'll be no exploration, only pre - made algorithms.
Get yourself your pair of shoes
I am reading a lot about visual artists, poets etc. now I no longer desire to follow. I can read about it, understand the body of work, and it is important and mindblowing to read sometimes, but it doesn't give me the impulse to do something similar. An understanding that came to me while reading - I will never be like them. When you do anything creative... it doesn't matter for how long you do this shit. It is quite easy to slide onto someone's rails in the way. It might be a beautiful route actually but the idea is that we (or better say I had it for all the wrong reasons) have an unconscious desire to follow a path that is already known. No matter what route you take in my opinion it should be yours.
I never use any references. There is a fucking paper and I, and shit starts to happen (or not). The image starts to manifest itself. Certain aspects of your personality or mood still shine through your images. But in the end - the result is its own thing that might have little to no connection to the author. I test a lot of things on my parents, simply because we're divided by a couple of generations and they are pretty distant from the actual process. I constantly show them what I'm up to - it's interesting to see how their reaction differs from mine. Let's say, something dark - they don't see it this way, something really ''comforting'' in my opinion gives them unease. What I am trying to say is that it's utterly useless to predict or pre construct a certain perception, because, in reality, it might not be the case at all. If a method works for a creator - that's it.
You will never achieve anything individualistic if you keep walking in somebody else's shoes.
Psychological session
In terms of tattooing, first of all, when I start talking to people online I explain to them how I work, why I work this way, what are the pros, what are the cons and what this process gives them overall. If you want a quick something I am not the man for the job. It doesn't mean they are ignorant, these people or their taste is off. It is right for them but for me it is unacceptable. I am not interested in it simply because I'm wired differently.
People that come to the session know it will be very complicated for them psychologically. I do have some bad experiences where people just couldn't open up. That doesn't reflect upon them what type of people they are, they simply weren't ready. Some people seek this kind of experience, they feel more connected to the process because the way how they react, what they tell me, who they are on a psychological level affects what I do. They are not clients (that come get shit done and dip approach does not apply). They are as much involved in the process as I am on the psychological, even aesthetical level. I do spend with each person a whole day basically, and they get this very intense experience that they value.
I talk to strangers about very serious matters, and people are very protective of personal thoughts and emotions.
