POLINA_STROGANOVA - FROM RUSSIA, WITH LIPS
FROM RUSSIA, WITH LIPS
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
I always had a strong craving for art since childhood I suppose. I also loved taking pictures. The only thing I regret is that I never learnt to draw. That’s why working with clippings from magazines fits me perfectly. Fantasize, think something out, cut and here you are! A piece of fully finished work. Handmade collage! Of course, I did not come to this way of working at once. Creativity inside me was looking for it sway to splash out, until I began to notice collage pictures across the Internet. I studied all related hashtags on Pinterest and knew exactly what I wanted to do. First it was more of a hobby but later, it actually started to bring me income. There is a famous saying by Confucius: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” So I presume that creating collages is my hobby which appeared to be my favorite work.
It all started with a small stack of magazines that I’ve collected. Now I get a lot of magazines from my friends and family.
WHAT DOES YOUR ART FOCUS ON?
Everyone sees the world in his own different way. I see mine as an abstract-surrealistic style, which is filled with numerous parts of human body. Often lips, hands and legs are the most prevalent in my collages.
WHAT TRIGGERS YOUR IMAGINATION?
I don’t stick to a constant theme unless it’s an order for a certain job. Collages that I create for myself are saturated with my mood, inspiration from experienced moments, influenced by nature, sometimes they can even reflect a change of weather. Basically, they are plexus of my thoughts. Sometimes the idea for a collage might come out of just one successfully found and cut out image which then very quickly accrete by the whole bunch of clippings found earlier. As if they were waiting a long time for this exact piece to merge into one whole collage.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED?
In Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
WHEN DID YOU JOIN INSTAGRAM?
September 2011.
HOW DID IT MAKE YOUR WORK EVOLVE?
Due to Instagram a lot of interested people have learned about my work, I’d say that my entire career started from it. My subscribers find out all of my news from my account. Not so long ago I launched a production of t-shirts and iPhone cases with prints of my collages through one quite famous online store. Recently, I’m working on the creation of my own website. Hopefully I will announce its launch on Instagram soon.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH?
From the beginning, my work has become popular among musicians. I received orders from DJs on a particular subject, and then my collages would decorate their musical content in the form of covers to their mixes. Recently I’ve created four collages for the Rostov branch of the brand Patrizia Pepe. I'm sure that there are a lot of interesting projects and collaborations ahead!
HOW OFTEN DO YOU POST?
This depends on inspiration or free time. I’d say its once or twice a week when a new collages could be found posted on my Instagram.
WHAT ACCOUNT DO YOU FOLLOW RELIGIOUSLY?
I can’t say that I’m following any accounts religiously. I admire all collagists. You need to have a very certain fantasy and imagination for creating such things. I love to examine each collage I find in magazines or on the Internet. But of course I follow some decent collagists on my Instagram that really do deserve admiration, and I'm glad I can observe their creative work every day.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST LIKED ARTWORK/ PHOTO?
A lot of what I see I like, I can’t highlight one particular artwork or photo right away. There are so many different ideas and styles. But sometimes there are truly collage-masterpieces!
WHAT ARE YOUR LATEST PROJECTS OR COLLABORATIONS?
I’ve worked with Patrizia Pepe recently. But of course I would like to collaborate with some talented designers in the future and see my prints decorating fashionable clothes. Lots of things to aim for!
HOW CAN SOMEONE REACH YOU?
instagram.com/polina_stroganova/ polinastroganova.tumblr.com society6.com/polina_stroganova cutgluecut@gmail.com