The Russian artist Sasha Frolova wraps herself in inflatable latex costumes and wigs, performs to loud pop music, builds sculptures and was crowned ‘Alternative Miss Universe.’ She creates a parallel universe in the now: supernatural and entertaining – until the dream bursts.
How do you define your art?
In my opinion art should be pretty and positive. It is easier to become known when you concern yourself with social problems or position yourself within a negative context. I am not interested in that, I prefer art to be pretty just like during the Renaissance. At the same time, I want to have as little relation to reality as possible. For me art is the rejection of the laws of physics and reality, it overcomes it. And that is what makes art such a miracle. I try to let the audience forget for at least half an hour that they are at an exhibition and create a new reality, with shapes and colours according to the rules of imagination. My art is about the hunt for the perfect, the ideal, the sunny, the supernatural, the fantastic – for a ‘super world.’ I have come up with two directions for that: performances and wearable sculptures. I focus primarily on shapes and those that come into existence through air. Through beauty we connect to God, she returns parts of the paradise to the planet. The feeling in that is loving, pure and innocent – and beauty is immortal. Art is a way to reach immortality through beauty, art is a new religion.
Do you feel free?
Yes, I feel completely free in my fantasy. But I want to free my consciousness even more in order to be more courageous and free and surprise myself with that.
What do you expect people to feel when they look at your art?
They should feel enthusiastic, inspired and fascinated. Latex always resembles a collusion of a naive and a sexual context, which can be disturbing and create an inner dialogue within the viewer. I want to change that viewpoint.
What influences your art?
I have dreamt about it since my childhood. Started with sculptures, inflatable children’s toys, created massive costumes out of tape and cardboard, wrote poems and performed – a lot of experimenting has led me to where I am now. I always liked inflatable objects. I have visited numerous manufactories for my art, did my research. One day I discovered latex – and began producing costumes with a company specialised in that material. Besides there are the performances, like my music project Aquaaerobika – a pop musical with inflatable costumes and decor, so basically a moving sculpture. I am interested in symbols and signs, the game of two and three dimensionality and forms that change the way they look depending on your viewpoint. I trained as a graphic designer. I want to create new symbols, as shown with my sculptures. I work with the image of femininity and in an ironic way with the culture of the 20thcentury. At the moment I find a lot of my inspiration within the clothing, music and aesthetic of Baroque and Rococo – that is how Balloon Baroque Ballet came into existence.
