Aiva Storostnieka

My art is an extension of myself. All that I see, think and feel finds its way in my creative output. And, as with everyone else, there are countless things I observe, contemplate and respond to. This is then what my work is about – the unity of multitude, or in other words, reality.

Ever-changing, ever-evolving, the reality is constructed by the mind in a chaotic Universe.

Being a keen observer with a passion for knowledge and a curious mind, I am naturally drawn towards philosophy, which, simply put, is a desire to understand the life and my presence in it. Thus, my practice is driven by philosophical investigations in the nature of reality, existence and the self within it, emphasizing the ‘unrealness of reality’.

It is not a simple task to comprehend nor present the reality in its entirety- its many variations, gradations and dimensions. It can only be analyzed in fragments by focusing one’s individual, conscious attention. Therefore, my process of making consists of working with visual metaphors relating to abstracted aspects of reality through the principle of collage, working between digital, two and three dimensions. Conceptually, I work with a deceptively simple three-fold system, a unity of a lived experience, where the physical texture represents ‘what is’, the structure represents ‘mind’, and the use of string- the ‘chaotic, non-linear nature of the Universe’. However, the concept is only a skeleton, around which the living flesh of making evolves.

An important aspect of my practice is Transformation. It relates to the flux of both the world and the constant that is change. The individual self has the agency to direct its conscious attention to shape and change one’s perception of how we see what already exists around us. In my studio practice, this notion presents itself through the use of overlooked objects and materials, as well as transforming factual to digital and vice versa.

For the Degree Show, I proposed to present my work through installation of a stage-like environment, a mind’s landscape as a walk-through experience, where the built structures represent metaphorical doors, views, frames of mind. The compositions move and change along with the movements of the viewer, reflecting the differences in perceiving reality from individual perspectives and viewpoints.

Due to the technical nature of my installation work and Covid-19 closures, I am not able to present the finished results. Instead, I offer you studio shots, experiments and developments, along with digital alternatives to present my unrealized ideas, carried out during lockdown.

I, as a graduating student at the Glasgow School of Art, would like to state my support for the Pause or Pay Campaign. Read the full manifesto.