The Launch Pad has selected its first Maker-in-Residence, local resident Anastasia Sitnikov. During the course of her residency she will create an installation for the library; a large-scale wall sculpture that interweaves macrame with laser-cut objects created by library members.
Anastasia’s Launch Pad Hours•Tuesdays and Thursdays: June 13-July 11, 3-5:30 pm
Q: What is your favorite medium and why?
A: I draw inspiration from both the past and the future, which is why I frequently incorporate plastic and aluminum into my pieces. These materials give my work a retro-futuristic aesthetic.
Additionally, I have a fascination with digital fabrication as it adds a machine-made quality to my creations, aligning with the concept behind them. I often utilize various types of ropes as well, symbolizing limitations. To soften the industrial feel, I employ domestic techniques like crochet or macramé to “sculpt” them.
Moreover, my memories are often associated with specific plants, thus dried flowers and herbs frequently find their way into my artworks.
Q: What aspect of the residency are you most excited about?
A: I am looking forward to the residency because it provides an ideal platform for me to explore my preferred materials and techniques. I am excited about the opportunity to dedicate time to creating a piece that deeply engages my artistic interests.
I am thrilled that the residency involves collaboration. While I cannot anticipate the ideas that the participants will contribute, I am genuinely eager to learn their stories and witness the final piece taking shape.
Q: Can you provide a brief artist statement FOR YOUR RESIDENCY SCULPTURE?
A: My artistic exploration revolves around the sense of discontinuity experienced by individuals when separated from their original environment.
As a sculptor, I often express these memories through objects and images that hold personal significance. While I may no longer have access to these objects, I recreate them in the realm of sculpture.
For the piece I will be working on during the residency, I intend to invite participants to contemplate an object from their own past that is now out of reach but holds personal meaning. We will create digital models and utilize laser cutting technology to create replicas. These replicas will be integrated into one large-scale sculpture that brings together memories of different people.
Q: Favorite book or book series?
A: One book that has always resonated with me, particularly during challenging times, is Piknik na obochine (Roadside Picnic) by Arkadii and Boris Strugatskii. This book was adapted into the film “Stalker” directed by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1979.
In the story, aliens visit Earth for a single night, leaving behind enigmatic remnants of their technology. The government seizes control of these “Zones” and monopolizes access to alien artifacts. While government scientists are driven by the thirst for discovery, stalkers are motivated by need and greed. However, the Zone proves deadly for anyone daring to enter.
The alien theme is just a decoration for the study of much deeper and more applicable […] topics of politics, economics, ethics and human relations.