Alice Hualice
Alisa Gorshenina is a Ural artist who works under the pseudonym Alice Hualice. Alice lives in Nizhny Tagil but she spent her childhood in the village of Yakshina, Sverdlovsk region. In her work she often combines Urals folklore, Slavic costumes and traditional motifs. She also makes masks and textile sculptures, works with graphics, ceramics and metal, creates video art and makes photographs.
Alice Hualice
People, animals and various objects stand apart in his photography. They seem to exist within the same photo, but at the same time they do not outwardly contact each other in any way.
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"In my childhood, I often drew something fantastic that existed only in my fantasies"
Alice Hualice
We talked to Alice about her childhood, creative methods, inspiration and plans for the future.
— Hello, Alice! Please share with us when and how did you come to art? How did you realize yourself as an artist?
— I've felt like an artist since childhood. I have always drawn and I was that girl among classmates who was responsible for making newspaper projects, posters and helped everyone at drawing classes. I was sure I was born that way, with a predisposition to do Art.
In my childhood I often drew not real objects and stories, but something fantastic that existed only in my fantasies. Sometimes I poured out all my emotions and fears on paper. Later I went to an art school so that to achieve my creative ambitions.
Then I entered Khud Graf (Art and Graphic Department of the Nizhny Tagil Pedagogical Academy). It was there that I fully realized I am an artist. It wasn't the classes themselves that influenced me, because the academy offered classical education, but rather the atmosphere of Khud Graf. More than that I had the opportunity to work with different materials like ceramics and metal. Studying at Khud Graf, I came to conclusion that I didn't want to limit myself to any particular medium, I liked working with different forms.
In my childhood I often drew not real objects and stories, but something fantastic that existed only in my fantasies. Sometimes I poured out all my emotions and fears on paper. Later I went to an art school so that to achieve my creative ambitions.
Then I entered Khud Graf (Art and Graphic Department of the Nizhny Tagil Pedagogical Academy). It was there that I fully realized I am an artist. It wasn't the classes themselves that influenced me, because the academy offered classical education, but rather the atmosphere of Khud Graf. More than that I had the opportunity to work with different materials like ceramics and metal. Studying at Khud Graf, I came to conclusion that I didn't want to limit myself to any particular medium, I liked working with different forms.
— Living in Nizhny Tagil, has it ever occurred to you that you are culturally isolated? Have you ever thought of moving to a bigger city?
— I was born in the village of Yakshina and living there I couldn’t but dream of moving to the city. My mother (she's from Tagil) talked about her life in the city, sometimes my family and I would go to Tagil to visit our relatives.
Compared to the village, Tagil seemed like a huge, interesting place with buildings like castles. At that time I dreamed of moving and my dream came true - we moved. At school, I heard a lot about other cities, I often heard that we're a province here in Tagil, but there are big, beautiful cities somewhere over there. They say that civilization is there..
When it was time to enter institute, I did not even think of going somewhere. I did not understand why and where.
So I entered the academy in my city. Many of my classmates were going to Moscow or St. Petersburg after graduation. I don't believe that I had the same intentions. The thing is that in my second year at the academy, I and two other students united into an art group. Our aim was to develop art in our own city. It seemed normal to us. I still think so.
Now I sometimes reflect of moving somewhere but the choice is between leaving the country totally or travel somewhere deeper in the Russian wilderness. I feel like the second option more.
I am sure that big cities do not necessarily mean professionalism, there are many talented people living in different regions of the country, and I think that it would be better and more correct to develop ways of communication between them, rather than endlessly migrate to big cities.
Compared to the village, Tagil seemed like a huge, interesting place with buildings like castles. At that time I dreamed of moving and my dream came true - we moved. At school, I heard a lot about other cities, I often heard that we're a province here in Tagil, but there are big, beautiful cities somewhere over there. They say that civilization is there..
When it was time to enter institute, I did not even think of going somewhere. I did not understand why and where.
So I entered the academy in my city. Many of my classmates were going to Moscow or St. Petersburg after graduation. I don't believe that I had the same intentions. The thing is that in my second year at the academy, I and two other students united into an art group. Our aim was to develop art in our own city. It seemed normal to us. I still think so.
Now I sometimes reflect of moving somewhere but the choice is between leaving the country totally or travel somewhere deeper in the Russian wilderness. I feel like the second option more.
I am sure that big cities do not necessarily mean professionalism, there are many talented people living in different regions of the country, and I think that it would be better and more correct to develop ways of communication between them, rather than endlessly migrate to big cities.
— Alice, what is your source of inspiration? Have you ever experienced a creative crisis?
— I mostly take ideas and impulse for my new works from inside, from my biography and life experiences. For example, I spent my childhood in the countryside, the time I spent there is like a separate universe with an infinite number of ideas based on my childhood fantasies and memories.
Often I create something based on my older works. I just go to my studio, watch through my work of five years ago and discover a lot of new things in it. It's important for me to surround myself with what I create, because it fuels my imagination and gives me a lot of new images.
I guess that I am inspired by the human body, nature, culture of different nationalities I belong to, ancient mythology of numerous countries and many other things, but such evident sources of inspiration seem to impoverish everything I create, making my works too straightforward. So my inspiration is a collection of different symbols and things I like.
I have never had a creative crisis. Sometimes I fail to see any value in my works and it happens quite often, but I’ve never had the lack of ideas. I rather have a different problem – I have so much on my mind that I don't have enough time to make it all happen.
Often I create something based on my older works. I just go to my studio, watch through my work of five years ago and discover a lot of new things in it. It's important for me to surround myself with what I create, because it fuels my imagination and gives me a lot of new images.
I guess that I am inspired by the human body, nature, culture of different nationalities I belong to, ancient mythology of numerous countries and many other things, but such evident sources of inspiration seem to impoverish everything I create, making my works too straightforward. So my inspiration is a collection of different symbols and things I like.
I have never had a creative crisis. Sometimes I fail to see any value in my works and it happens quite often, but I’ve never had the lack of ideas. I rather have a different problem – I have so much on my mind that I don't have enough time to make it all happen.
— I wonder, how long does it usually take you to create a new Art object? Do you implement ideas quickly or do you prefer to let them “settle”?
— It all depends on the object I create. Typically, I don't like to keep ideas in my head for a long time. But as I make now technically more complex works, it takes longer to create an object.
Before I used to make something new every day, but now I can work on the object for a month. I am busy with many different projects the same time and, of course, it has some effect on my work pace.
I have a big list of ideas that I want to implement, so you could say that they are forced to “settle” for some time. But that's because I can't find the time to bring these works to life today.
Before I used to make something new every day, but now I can work on the object for a month. I am busy with many different projects the same time and, of course, it has some effect on my work pace.
I have a big list of ideas that I want to implement, so you could say that they are forced to “settle” for some time. But that's because I can't find the time to bring these works to life today.
“When I start a new project I become obsessed with the process. I can't eat, can't sleep until I finish my “baby”. It's like I'm obsessed with the idea, it's above all things for me.”
— Alice, what is the best advice you would give to young artists at the beginning of their journey?
— Have your voice and go your own way. That's the best thing you can do. It's very important to shape yourself, to keep your individuality.
Also, I think you should try to be objective about your strengths and respect your work, even in the very first stages. The art world is very cruel..
Also, I think you should try to be objective about your strengths and respect your work, even in the very first stages. The art world is very cruel..
— Do you collaborate with galleries or do you have an agent to promote and sell your works? Or you prefer do everything yourself?
— I am an independent artist. It means that I constantly cooperate with different galleries, but independently. It is more comfortable for me this way.
Usually I make money from my exhibitions (when they pay royalties) and contemporary art auctions. Sometimes I sell through my social networks. But very rarely, only when I need the money badly.
Usually I make money from my exhibitions (when they pay royalties) and contemporary art auctions. Sometimes I sell through my social networks. But very rarely, only when I need the money badly.
— As a woman, do you feel you have enough opportunities to create art, exhibit and sell your works on par with men?
— I feel that there are no limits for me and anything is possible! But unfortunately, women are still in a more vulnerable position in art than men. Today the best-selling artists are still men.
Of course there is a positive trend towards equality within the arts, but I think we are still a long way from achieving it.
Of course there is a positive trend towards equality within the arts, but I think we are still a long way from achieving it.