Contemporary Art: The Path and Achievements of Varvara Grankova

Contents:

• Masters of Visual Art: Artist and Illustrator in Comparison
• MMOMA and "Non-Violence"
• Defining a Personal Theme for Research
• Determining Suitable Material for Yourself
• Sources of Income for Contemporary Artists: From Sales of Works to New Forms of Earning Money.
• Understandable Art
• Exhibition: The Path to Inner Healing
• School and Curating

A contemporary artist and performance artist whose works are displayed in museums and exhibitions throughout Russia, Italy, and Germany. She is the founder of the educational project "Artist Statement", designed for contemporary artists.

The path to creative success is rarely straightforward: some achieve their goals quickly and without much difficulty, while others need many years of hard work before they are recognized. We discussed with Varvara the topics of burnout, the recovery process, and ways to make money in the field of contemporary art.

Masters of Visual Art: An Artist and an Illustrator in Comparison

From a very early age, art has become an integral part of my life. Although I did not attend art school, I managed to enter the National Institute of Design, one of the most prestigious faculties, where we studied to become art directors.

For a significant amount of time, I was engaged in commercial illustration. However, I soon felt tired of commissioned work, when the client controls the entire process: you have to create only within the framework of a certain theme and style. I wanted to get rid of this limitation.

In addition to my art education, I also received a music education and became interested in contemporary dance. I chose the path of contemporary art because it allows me to not tie myself to any particular direction.

MMOMA and "Non-Violence"

I entered the Museum of Modern Art in Moscow and, during my studies, I realized that this was exactly what I needed. Over the course of a year, I took part in about ten exhibitions. My activity did not go unnoticed, and ultimately, the MMOMA staff offered me to organize a solo exhibition.

My first exhibition was held at one of the leading museums of contemporary art. It was incredibly wonderful.

I worked on this work for two years: in the first year, I focused on exploring the topic, and in the second, on bringing my idea to life. The exhibition I organized dealt with violence and was called "Non-Violence." It's an interesting paradox: my first major thesis project was about love, while my second was about violence. However, if you think about it, there's a certain logic to it.

While preparing for the exhibition, I systematized various forms of violence and developed a special digital project dedicated to psychological violence. For this project, I pasted phrases that had caused them the most pain in their lives onto people and made portraits of them. Afterwards, I photographed them again, this time with the words they longed to hear in return for those hurtful remarks. The result is a series of images illustrating both trauma and the healing process.

Overnight, this project attracted over 10,000 followers on social media, and soon after, I was inundated with private messages in which people shared their stories of violence. Both acquaintances and strangers opened up to me about their experiences - there were so many of these messages, and at some point, I felt a strong emotional exhaustion. This topic touched the hearts of thousands of people. However, it is worth noting that a social artist is not a psychotherapist.

Defining a personal topic for research

The essence of my work is the exploration of both personal and social experiences, many of which are traumatic. In my younger years, I encountered bullying, and this experience became the starting point for choosing the theme of my first exhibition.

However, personal experiences are only a partial aspect. In the context of my project "Non-Violence," self-healing plays a secondary role. The most important task was to understand the broader question: why does humanity initially generate violence, and what purpose does it serve? At that time, I couldn't find an answer. While working on the exhibition, I sought to more deeply analyze the causes of violence, systematize this phenomenon, explore its nature, and attempt to identify possible solutions. As a result, I managed to come to some conclusions.

Currently, when I teach, I constantly advise my students: "Identify the key question that concerns you and that you seek to answer within the framework of your project."

Sometimes it is the question that becomes the catalyst for creativity and scientific research. When you strive to find an answer, you immerse yourself in analysis, self-expression, and creation. Thus, art becomes not only a visual statement, but also a way of communicating with yourself and the world around you. In contemporary art, research plays a key role, even though there are no strict rules about how to proceed. It is often the research activity that lays the foundation. Once you start exploring a particular topic, you gradually develop a clear concept throughout the process.

In today's art, there is no space for absolute and unambiguous statements. Instead of declaring: "Violence is bad" (which is already a kind of dogma), I decided to delve into this problem. I did not make loud judgments, but focused on analyzing the causes behind this phenomenon.

What conclusion have I come to over the past two years? The answer is, in fact, obvious: violence leads to violence. If measures are not taken to prevent it at the initial stages, it will inevitably grow and gain momentum.

The concept of my entire exhibition was based on a certain logic. It began with a hall dedicated to the individual, followed by exhibits reflecting the lives of small social groups—schools, the army, prisons, and orphanages, all closed communities. The exhibition concluded with a large installation dedicated to the Gulag. This sequence created a clear line of escalation.

And here's what's amazing: the installation dedicated to the GULAG has become part of the museum's collection. Amazingly, my first solo exhibition led to this work being immediately included in the museum collection.

Determining the Right Material for Yourself

The point is that you have no boundaries. This means the ability to do absolutely anything. You can create paintings, sing songs, dance, sculpt, write various texts, even just relax and call it art. I absolutely love it because there is so much space for creativity. So many opportunities for fun and mischief. In the end, an artist can always respond to criticism with a phrase from the meme: "I am an artist, this is my interpretation."

I didn't search for my material—it found me. Fabric served as the medium. I love swaps and meeting new people, so I almost never buy clothes—friends bring me everything I need during swaps.

At the end of these parties, I always had large quantities of clothes left over, which I then donated to charity. At some point, it dawned on me—here it was, my source of inspiration! Masterpieces can be created from this fabric: sewn, turned inside out, sculpted, and even used as a canvas for painting. Clothes not only say a lot about a person, but at the same time, they conceal their essence. It is the perfect material for creativity, offering practically limitless possibilities.

My first textile installation was a 12-meter sculpture presented at Winzavod. I subsequently returned to the same clothing, implementing it in five other projects. Thus, I set myself the goal of functioning as a kind of mini-recycling station, extracting the maximum number of different ideas and forms from the same material.

This research became the basis for a long-term project called "Thingism." I created installations from unwanted clothing in various locations—shopping centers, ecology festivals, and galleries. In 2021, I was honored to receive the Italian Arte Laguna Prize, which gave me the opportunity to realize my largest textile work yet at the Arsenalle Nord in Venice.

In 2022, I launched a humanitarian initiative aimed at collecting clothing for people forced to flee their homes. From those items that did not find their owners, I created an exhibition called "Flowers and Grass." Two works from this exhibition were acquired almost immediately.

Sources of income for contemporary artists: from selling works to new forms of earnings.

I have received awards at I received several thousand euros in salary, as well as grants for my projects. I also received payments for speaking engagements and commissioned installations. While these sources of income are effective, they are not sustainable.

I am one of those artists who can make a strong impression on people, but my works rarely find buyers. This is because it is not always possible to accommodate a 20-meter installation in a residential space. Moreover, my works are saturated with emotions, and it is difficult to imagine that someone would decide to purchase an installation touching on such difficult topics as death or violence for their home.

Sometimes I think I should focus on creating more interior projects rather than conceptual art. Of course, the works of Moscow conceptualists are quite expensive, but this is already a completely obvious investment in art that is widely recognized.

People acquire not only objects, but also experiences, status symbols, and historical values, the value of which will increase over time.

In this case, the death of the creator significantly increases the value of his works, which is due to the principles of the market economy: after his death, the number of available works becomes limited. People realize that similar works will not appear again, and, consequently, their price increases. While the artist is alive, he is capable of creating many more similar works!

Of course, Maurizio Cattelan is the artist who became famous for putting a banana, taped to his back, up for sale for several million. However, it's worth noting that before achieving such success with the banana, he shocked the public for three decades by hanging dead horses in museums.

Understandable Art

I've repeatedly participated in large-scale projects that involved many people—both in the installation process and in the development of the objects themselves. Sometimes complete strangers help me, and it's surprising how many of them willingly join such endeavors. The fact is that creating something unusual together brings great pleasure to everyone.

Furthermore, many people experience fear of independent action. I only recently realized that taking on such responsibility—inventing and implementing your own ideas—can be truly scary.

Therefore, it is much easier to become part of a project initiated by some eccentric creator. Many of us subconsciously doubt our artistic abilities, thinking: "What kind of artist am I?" However, when they begin to participate, their passion for the work helps to overcome these doubts.

A sense of belonging plays a significant role in people's lives. In my practice, I deal with issues that have social significance, and for many people, it is important to be part of such public discussions.

In Tbilisi, I created a large-scale installation on the sixth floor of an abandoned hotel building, for which I needed three tons of earth. Naturally, I physically couldn't move them myself. I filled one of the rooms with earth and placed a transparent bowl with a natural tear in the center. This work was called "Living and Dead Water."

Three tons of soil exuding a bright and memorable aroma. And a tear located in the center. Yes, this statement is straightforward, but it leaves a deep impression.

Exhibition: The Path to Inner Healing

My work is focused on human nature and interaction with people, and all my works have a social focus. I explore topics such as love, loss, violence, feminism and ecology. These issues can be quite complex and sometimes even scary.

For me, exhibitions often become a source of healing. I learn to accept different aspects by facing those things that cause me fear. Working with them, I get an invaluable experience. Each installation or object created in collaboration with others brings me relief and inner peace.

This summer, I organized my first exhibition called "Consolation", which explores the theme of loss and the grieving process. At the center of this project is my own story related to the loss of a loved one. While working on the pieces for the exhibition, I experienced firsthand the five stages of grief: from denial and anger to finding acceptance. Many of the presented objects were sewn from fabrics, which became a symbolic reflection of my inner path.

School and curating

Exactly one year ago, I founded my own school for contemporary artists called "Artist Statement". This decision was a natural consequence of my accumulated professional experience, which allowed me to move on to a new stage – sharing my knowledge and passion for contemporary art.

I love inspiring young artists to be bold, explore their true interests, and work with themes that truly excite them, not what is currently popular.

Why did I decide to open my own school? It all started when artists began coming to me for consultations. I realized that they were amazing individuals, but many of them lacked confidence in their abilities. They didn't so much need advice on how to best present their work in a gallery or how to properly organize a portfolio, but rather the important feeling of confidence that they truly are artists, and not impostors.

At our school, we work in tandem with psychologist Nastya Eremyan. As part of the program, we focus on overcoming various psychological obstacles, such as self-doubt, procrastination, and the inner critic. We have managed to create an atmosphere of warmth, safety and trust, which sets us apart from many other educational institutions.

In October 2025, I organized an exhibition of my students’ works, which became a highlight for me. My first experience as a curator. This project opened up a new dimension of communication: I acted not as a creator, but as a medium, conveying others' ideas and images. This led to a completely different level of interaction. I actively participated in the creative process with the students, which allowed us to become closer. I experienced a multitude of positive emotions! As a result, I realized a simple truth: by giving, you receive.

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