Losing Colors

Losing Colors is an interactive exhibition project that explores the theme of Russian identity and internalized self-rejection.

Through this project, I reflect on my personal experience as well as the experiences of others, showing how Russian emigrants often feel compelled to distance themselves from their identity. This distancing is frequently driven by a desire to avoid uncomfortable questions about one’s origin and to escape constant associations with the country and its political reality.

In this work, I present portraits of Russian emigrants covered with grey paint, along with their grey 3D figures. This visual language reflects a desire not to stand out, to blend in, and to dissolve into the surrounding environment.

Another part of the project is based on interaction with the audience. By giving viewers the opportunity to color the figures, I aim to reveal their perceptions of a Russian emigrant — to question, challenge, or potentially confirm existing stereotypes.