Meeting with Mickey Smith--Alina Belishkina

I was the last one who showed my work to Mickey and her husband. We didn’t have much time left, and the vibe of preceding discussion was mostly about difference between Russian and Western student work. At Mickey’s point of view Russian students make more personalized work, more intimate in a way, which she enjoys very much. I was a bit nervous because the video I wanted to show didn’t fit into that Russian-personal vs. Western-formal distinction. The point of how national identity, tradition is expressed in artistic practice has lately become relevant for me. Does it mean that if I’m not interested in emotional, moody, metaphorical work I basically fail to be a Russian artist? Does this notion “Russian artist” exist, and if yes, what necessary obligations it contains? Are they really necessary? What is my responsibility as an artist who was born in Russia? Interest in politics, or social conditions? Work made with “soul”, not mind?
Frankly speaking I don’t have answers for these questions, I’d better leave them open for now. But what I do know, what I’m really interested in is the way my perception of outside world works, the way I construct the connection to this particular moment in time and space. And medium I use to reflect upon this perception is not that important. I can use words, or I can use video, for me it is always an experiment. And yes, this experiment happens in Russia…
These vague thoughts flew in my mind when I was listening to Mickey, and I’m not sure that they were connected directly to what she was saying, but somehow this discussion actualized them in me.
Anyhow, I showed my video “Empty moment”, and both Mickey and her husband (Aaron) seemed to like its aesthetics, the way it was made and called it “beautiful”. Aaron also said that it was interesting to watch and added that if there was music in it it’d be a nice music video. Mickey said that it was an interesting experiment. Both of them reacted to the formal qualities.
 

ONE + TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS

Invisible-Exports, New York, NY 2008

Alvar Alto Library, Vyborg, Russia 2008

PRO ARTE Institute, Pushkin House, St. Petersburg, Russia 2008

Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, NY 2008

Ellen Curlee Gallery, Saint Louis, MO 2007

Carleton College Gould Library, Northfield, MN 2007

Kathy Dowell Art + Service, Kansas City, MO 2007

Projects Gallery, Minnesota Center for Photography, Minneapolis, MN 2006

Open Book Gallery, Minneapolis, MN 2005

Minnesota History Center, Saint Paul , MN 2005

The Post Office + Public Library, Cooperstown, ND 2004

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Circulation. Gallery Kunstler 2008

Unabridged. Traffic Zone Center for Visual Arts 2008

New Visual Language. hpgrp gallery New York 2007

McKnight Fellows 06/07. Minnesota Center for Photography 2007

Inscribire. Chandra Cerrito Contemporary 2007

WORD. Deborah Colton Gallery 2006

Midwestern Views. Pingyao International Photography Festival 2006

Poster Offensive. Frank Stone Gallery 2004 + 2006

Correspondence. Jon Oulman Gallery 2005

Accords. Frank Stone Gallery 2004

JURIED EXHIBITIONS

Hey Hot Shot! Jen Bekman Gallery 2007

New Works Gallery. Silver Eye Center for Photography 2006

Photocentric Biennial. Minnesota Center for Photography 2005
Juried by Joan Rothfuss, Curator, Walker Art Center

MN Biennial: 2D II. Minnesota Museum of American Art 2005
Juried by Elizabeth Dunbar, Curator, Kemper Contemporary

Visible Fringe. Minnesota Fringe Festival, Minneapolis, MN 2005