As an art historian and cultural researcher, I study ceramics as a form of contemporary art and cultural practices. I write articles on the art objects and practices of Russian and European ceramists; participate in Russian symposiums on the ceramics and decorative art and write texts for the catalogues of the exhibitions and artists’ works. It is important for me to create the image of ceramics as a complex medium that is not just an element of traditional art practices but has a potential to represent modern cultural and social processes and problems (even conflicts) as other media of contemporary art do.
I work not only as a writer but as a curator, and this form of cultural activity related to ceramics is more important for me today. There always were ceramic art objects by varied artists in all curatorial projects in which I took part as a curator or an assistant curator, even if they were not special ceramics exhibitions. Ceramics accumulates all traditional forms of art: sculpture, graphics, painting, even architecture. It can be also an element of new media art objects at the same time. For instance, there are art works that combine ceramics and video and sound art. The curatorial activity allows me to show ceramics to the viewer in the context of other art practices and reveal its potential. Exhibitions have a bigger audience than texts could have, that’s why I see curating as a more important form of engagement in this professional sphere.