Metamorphosis. Black

I turned 30 and was completely lost. I suddenly realized my own finiteness. I realized the fragility of life, youth and beauty. This thought, which now seems so obvious, came to me out of the blue. My microcosm is changing in parallel with a dramatically changing macrocosm. I need to adapt to reality, but instead I’m trying to escape. Making art is a form of escapism. Through photography, I create my own universe. I transform my anxiety, fears, obsessions and shame into pictures. The older I get, the faster time seems to go. The fear of death is the fear of the unknown. It’s impossible for many to imagine non- existence. I make self-portraits because I am often alone, and know myself well. Creation is the opposite of death, and each self- portrait is the answer to the question ‘Am I still alive?’

Maria Pleshkova (b. 1986) is a multidisciplinary artist working in photography, video, and writing. In her work, Pleshkova explores the boundaries of self-portraiture. Her life and her art are inseparably connected: she lives her life through her art, making intimate and self-revealing projects. She explores the Microcosm, the human universe, and certain moments of the highest intensity of life. Pleshkova’s projects are always autobiographical, but the autobiography is just an excuse to talk about things that are universal and common to all humankind.