This is the second part of YPIA’s interview with Anastasiia Sotnikova, an artist who fled Russia to showcase her artwork to the world. Currently residing in Turkey, Sotnikova speaks about her ambitions of being showcased in galleries and reaching new creative heights. Constantly evolving, learning, and growing, she shares insights into being a successful contemporary artist.

Rhea: Can you tell us about your relationship with art institutions? Does a gallery currently represent you, and would you like to exhibit your work at one in the future?

Anastasiia: In Russia, I never wanted to participate in exhibitions. There are contemporary art exhibitions in cities like Moscow, but I never fostered the relationships needed to showcase my work there. When I started travelling, I realized Instagram was a great place to curate my own exhibitions and connect with a larger audience. After being on the platform and creating for a few years, I feel ready to explore exhibiting more. My mother always encouraged me to exhibit my work, and now I feel capable of doing so. I receive quite a few offers to exhibit globally, so that may be my next step.

Rhea: How is it navigating the art world? Are the various tasks aside from being creative draining or overwhelming?

Anastasiia: I definitely need an agent—that's my next investment in my future! I love meeting new people and building relationships in the art world, but it leaves me with little time to create. I need someone to manage the administrative side of things because there's a limited amount of time in a day. Someone who can network and make new connections so I can grow as an artist.

Rhea: Lastly, what would be your next big project? If everything were in place, what would you focus on creating?

Anastasiia: I've been thinking a lot about that recently. I want to get back to working on larger canvases. I used to create larger-sized artworks that encouraged me to use mixed media, including textiles. Talking about it now, I realize how much I want to explore various ideas.

One subject I've wanted to delve into for some time is how different cultures communicate. I like to explore language not just as a tool for speaking but as a mode of communication. I was invited to an exhibition called 'Common Language,' which made me think about conflicts in the Arab world and those I grew up around. I'm interested in how cultures coexist harmoniously, how they communicate, and how, despite being surrounded by war, positive communication still occurs daily.

As an artist using social media for communication, I rarely get the chance to explore these themes deeply. People's reactions online can be quick and harsh, so a museum or gallery space might be a safer environment to explore these dialogues that require a longer attention span. I am excited and hopeful about the future. I am constantly working towards being able to exhibit my work in a new and constructive environment where I can have discussions with people about what unites us even with our varied backgrounds. Art is a great equaliser as they say, I am looking forward to the moment I can collaborate with art institutions and in that way, start larger conversations about the world we all live in.