ALEX ALBRECHT
Art has been at the forefront of my life for years now. I began making paintings and drawing feverishly as a child, and never stopped. I have always been drawn to materials that I can feel with my hands and which involve a process that favors time consumption over quick results for a unique product. Painting is my favorite out of all the artistic mediums, the fluidity of motion utilized in painting has always been a calming presence in the studio. Other mediums that I have explored are heat-printing, linoleum carving, drawing, photography, and music. I began playing guitar and piano when I was young and have recently rekindled my interest in the musical arts.
In this lockdown my life has been transformed with this sudden ability to focus entirely on my art and music, and therefore strengthen my commitment to it. I now realize that I don’t have to just make art that others will think is good, but I can make drawings, music, clothing, that resonates only with me. My identity as an artist is fluctuating, and the creations that I am currently making reflect that. Much of the work I am creating now is more experimental and impulsive, with no constraints on color and form.
I decided to dabble in music for my final project, exploring identity in the form of an EP called “(зайка) Zaika Music, Volume. 1.” This music is deeply inspired by the world of science fiction and the fantastical realm- thoughts about chimeras, mermaids, digital creations and dystopian worlds intersecting with traditional Russian conventions. It is music for the space age, music for people who don’t feel human at times, and most importantly- music as a means of triumph over alienation. Numerous artists have all heavily influenced my process and allowed a better understanding of my core theme- my identity through these sonic landscapes intersected with the Russian language. Making an EP has been a way of curing myself from the potent fear of judgement, to allow myself the joy of doing things that make me happy simply for the sake of deriving pleasure from them. I hope that these ideas and feelings are conveyed to those who listen to it, and while viewing the accompanying artwork which attempts to encapsulate all these ideas into one image.