My Rooms
Olya Eliseeva
Anastasia Rykunova
My Rooms is an immersive, multi-sensory exhibition that seeks to reveal the multilayered complexities of my creative practice. As both an artist and a curator, this exhibition functions as a retrospective, not only of my work as a creator but also from the distinct vantage points of curator and art director. These positions offer a unique opportunity to analyze the artistic process from different angles, exploring how the roles of maker and mediator intersect.
Through a combination of mixed media, installations, video art, and soundscapes, My Rooms critically engages with the interplay between the personal and the spatial. This body of work reflects on the sacrifices inherent in producing large-scale projects and the significance of the spaces we inhabit. These "rooms" are more than just physical constructs—they represent the internal and external environments that shape my creative and curatorial practice.
The exhibition is a testament to the evolving nature of artistic creation, where space functions not merely as a backdrop but as a central actor in the artistic narrative. The environments we navigate, the people we collaborate with, and the spaces we inhabit are all integral to understanding the creative process. As someone who also occupies the roles of curator and art director, I’ve approached this exhibition with an analytical perspective, inviting the viewer to engage with the tensions and harmonies between these different positions.
In My Rooms, I open a window into the often-hidden processes that underpin artistic production. The works exhibited here reflect the intricate documentation of my journey as both a practitioner and a curator. There is a conceptual and critical rigor embedded in each piece, from immersive installations to the carefully curated mixed media and time-based works. This exhibition acts as an archive of my internal blueprint, visualizing the complex layers of decision-making, sacrifice, and ambition that drive my practice.
Key to this exhibition is my ongoing exploration of themes that are foundational to my work: harmony, intuition, energy, politics, philosophy, self-identity, and feminism. These subjects are not only expressed through the artworks themselves but also through the curation, where each piece is positioned to reflect and dialogue with the other, much like the interconnected ideas they represent. As an art director, I have intentionally designed the flow of the exhibition to evoke these thematic connections, creating a narrative that unfolds as the viewer moves through each room.
Collaboration plays an essential role in My Rooms. In inviting my friend and fellow creative, Nastya, into these spaces, I underscore the importance of creative exchange. These rooms are shared environments, where the boundaries between artist and curator blur, fostering a deeper engagement between the work, the viewer, and the curator’s hand. This sense of collaboration extends to you, the audience, as you are invited to become a part of this dialogue.
The exhibition also invites a contemplation of what is absent. In certain moments, things may feel unfinished or missing, a deliberate choice that mirrors the curatorial decisions we face in the act of selection and presentation. These absences challenge the viewer to engage in the process of interpretation, much like the work of a curator who navigates the tension between visibility and omission.
At its core, My Rooms is both a personal and professional reflection on the intersections of art, curatorship, and art direction. It is a space where I articulate the things I care deeply about in my practice and share the ongoing dialogue between my roles as a creator and a curator. By delocalizing from fixed artistic categories.
Ultimately, My Rooms is a space for introspection and engagement. I encourage you to immerse yourself in these rooms, to experience the energies within, and to reflect on the broader themes that run through my practice. In this space, art, curation, and direction come together in a dynamic conversation, inviting you to explore the multiple dimensions of creative expression.
Olya Eliseeva
