I don't make modern faces. Yulia Sochilina
Interview with a member of the Gaudir jury, Yulia Sochilina.
Like all girls in childhood, you were fond of dolls: you cut out of paper, designed clothes, played home plays ... Is that so ?! Later you graduated from the Vasnetsov Abramtsevo School of Industrial Art, department of artistic processing of wood, stone and bone.
Have your childhood dreams and desire to create changed ?! Having received a professional education, have you started to follow the “rules” and “guidelines” of more mature and experienced colleagues? Or did they continue to create, as they once did in childhood, without rules and restrictions? What is education for an artist: a key to the doors of freedom or a vice that holds within the bounds of what is permitted?
I'm not sure what is “like all girls”, but, yes, I sculpted it from plasticine and cut it out of paper. She loved to draw dolls and clothes for them, drew actresses from films, sketched from books, then played with a friend. The history of the costume was always interesting, unfortunately, in Soviet times it was difficult to find information on this topic, it was a success to get a book on the history of the costume! I studied at the Vasnetsov AHPU and received a professional education in woodcarving and general art education there. But since the art school trains specialists in applied arts and artistic crafts, this has little to do with what I am doing now. I have long since abandoned any “traditions”. I think that before, traditions and “school” influenced me, even fettered me. But, fortunately, I met the puppeteer artists from the Dollart group and realized that this is mine. Then I "got loose" in a good way, I felt real freedom. But, of course, traditional vocational education is needed, it is the basis, the base.
You give preference to creating an art doll in historical costumes, in accordance with the era and character of the character. How does the work on the image begin for you ?! Is there a period of conscious accumulation of resources when an internal need to pick up a cutter ripens? And if there is, what do you fill yourself with during this period: reading books, watching films, performances?
Yes, I don't make modern faces. I have a solid historicism in everything. Paintings, prints - all this is my interest. The Internet is now helping to accumulate a huge virtual collection of images of people and vintage clothing. Where does the work begin. I love carving wood, I love wood, making faces, hair, arms, legs, boots and shoes. Usually, I have in my head several already invented dolls. I don’t make sketches, I just take a piece of wood, look at it, I think what can it come out of, who is she actually? This is a bit of a mystery.
Your works can hardly be called puppets ... Rather, they are figurative sculptures with movable elements. What traditional methods of joining moving parts do you use in your work? Whether there is a know how masters ?! Are you ready to share your knowledge or would you rather keep it secret?
I make big dolls. Often they look like clothed sculptures, or sculptures with movement, or two pieces and spinning on a thick pin. For mobility, I use different connection methods in one doll. For example: a head moving on a round neck joint and pulled in by fishing ropes and three steel springs inside the body. In this case, the body has a selected cavity with a lid, where the springs are placed inside, and I also put a “label” with my name and the name of the doll there. Hands, as a rule, move linearly on the pins, in places of natural folds + movements around their axis on pins with caps and wooden nuts. There are movable fingers on the pins (not all). Sitting dolls also have legs on pins in the folds. It happens that I use a frame made of thick wire, a frame made of wooden slats, wrapped with padding polyester and several layers of cotton fabric, is possible. In general, I cannot say that I always use the same method, on the contrary, I constantly change everything.
In my opinion, I have no ideas in terms of connecting the parts. When I come across a large piece of linden, I do not cut it into pieces (so that everything moves), but cut out a whole bust-head with shoulders and long hair.
Are you planning (or already conducting) online training? If you are planning, when can we wait for the start of classes or the release of master classes on record ?!
I do not teach courses online or face-to-face and do not plan for the future.
Returning to the creation of works, your wood sculptures have a strong emotional impact on the viewer, largely due to the costume. Each is selected with the utmost care and knowledge of the historical era. How do you dress your heroines ?! Do you make costumes for them yourself or do you collaborate with other artists?
The costume of the doll is of great importance to me and it is noticeable, since I do not make dolls without clothes. I study historical eras mainly from the paintings of artists. I also watch films on historical themes, but rather, admiring the work and imagination of the designers of historical costumes. I love the fabrics themselves: silk, taffeta, gauze, satin, muslin, chiffon and others. Antique handmade lace. Antique laces that are damaged by time are no longer applicable to people, but they are very suitable for a doll. It turns out that this is the second life of lace (or not the second, but the tenth ...) But everything does not come down to dressing the sculpture, I try to combine carved and fabric elements, confusing and “deceiving” the viewer. Of course, I do everything myself, cut out, grind, dye, make patterns, sew, dye fabrics. Why entrust someone with something that you like to do yourself?
You have been awarded a diploma “For contribution to national culture” and medals from the Creative Union of Artists of Russia. What is creativity for you ?! The process of climbing to the heights of fame and world recognition, or, on the contrary, diving into the depths of your subconscious, exploring your own capabilities, searching for analogies and correspondences between the world of people and the world of dolls? Do you prefer to be in the public eye or try to distance yourself from the hustle and bustle?
I would like to joke that I hope for world recognition and fame! In fact, I do what I'm interested in, what I like, and that's the best thing. It’s nice that my work gives pleasure and joy to someone.
In our age of digital technologies, the creation of "masterpieces" can be put on stream, creating imitations of porcelain, wood, metal with a high degree of reliability. In the presence of 3d- printers to "print" antique statues or Scythian gold, like candy in a factory ...
What, in your opinion, can surprise the modern viewer and connoisseur of art dolls ?! Is there a future for traditional materials (wood, bone, metal, clay) or will they soon be replaced by elastomers (silicone, polyurethane, etc.)?
Yes, in this age of digital technologies, everything can be printed on a 3D printer, so what? It doesn't bother me. Let it be, what will be, do not slow down the coming of the future. Well, totally “elastomers” won't replace everything. The total does not happen completely, there have always been "niches", for others, special, it will be so in the future.
Can your art dolls made of wood compete with other similar dolls at exhibitions and sales areas, or are they exclusive art objects ?! Do we have enough wood art doll craftsmen and artists to bring them together in one thematic exhibition? What is the fate of such works after birth? Are they being bought ?!
I have been working on the doll for a very long time, up to several months, so I cannot ensure “uninterrupted” delivery of new works to various exhibitions and venues. I agree that these are rather exclusive art objects. Also, because each work exists only in one copy and it is physically impossible to repeat it (for example, at someone's request) ... Or maybe on 3d? All my works are in private collections.
What are your plans for the near future? Do you have joint projects with other artists? How do you look to become a part of a large-scale world project of art doll made of wood? Lead a project like this? Gather a group of students? Present the project at the exhibition ?!
For several years I have been participating in the art project Dollart and “Artkukla”, exhibiting in the gallery “Doll Collection” by Elena Gromova. Actually, I can hardly imagine myself as a participant in some large-scale world project. I am an individualist and the “common cause” is not interesting to me. Also, I do not want to have students, to teach, to teach, this is not mine.
Questions were prepared by Irina Panfilenok.
Julia's works are brilliant. There is work in them. There is nothing like it anywhere else. This is a diamond. When I have to see with my own eyes, I look open-mouthed and with great gratitude to the author. Bravo!