Project Concept
«Grounding» — an interdisciplinary art and research project dedicated to studying and reinterpreting regional identity through contemporary art.The Voronezh region is central to the project—a territory with its own system of cultural imagery, shaped by the natural landscape, religious traditions, folklore, and material culture.The starting point is the author’s personal connection to the region, which is perceived simultaneously as a family homeland and a space for new discovery. This duality allows for an external perspective on familiar cultural symbols and invites a personal artistic interpretation.
The main question of the project: how can the cultural heritage of a specific territory become the foundation of a relevant artistic language?
Format
The project is a multimedia installation that combines three independent video art pieces, performance practice, and spatial design elements.
Each video work is dedicated to a specific aspect of regional identity:
Target Audience
— visitors of contemporary art exhibitions, young artists, designers, photographers, and spectators interested in visual culture, experimental cinema, and interdisciplinary artistic practices
— residents of the Voronezh region, researchers of regional history and culture, staff of museums, cultural institutions, and educational organizations.
The project is rooted in the concept of creating a contemporary, original mythology based on the real cultural characteristics of the Voronezh region.
The research revolves around three interconnected levels: territory, sacred memory, and the human body.
The natural environment is examined as the space where cultural concepts originate. Sacred architecture and religious traditions reflect the spiritual understanding of the territory. Folk costume, textiles, and ornamentation reveal how cultural memory manifests in people’s daily lives.
A system of artistic images is formed using historical, ethnographic, and visual materials. Real heritage elements are given a new interpretation through symbolic actions, costume, movement, spatial engagement, and cinematic language.
The authorial approach mandates a respectful relationship with the primary sources while maintaining freedom of artistic expression.
The core principle is that the cultural code is viewed as a living material capable of generating new imagery, narratives, and meanings.
The audience experience is built upon three states: surprise → curiosity → recognition
Define precisely how the audience can continue their work after the presentation.
Eliminate ambiguity—show the steps, the format, and the entry point.
The individual must understand what to do next and how accessible it is to them.
Visual Moodboard
Competitive Landscape
The project’s competitive landscape includes artists who work with folklore, cultural memory, and original mythology: Ulyana Podkorytova, Alisa Gorshenina, Yulduz Bakhtiuzina, as well as representatives from the Voronezh art scene.
Distinguishing Features
01 / Territorial Specificity
02 / Unity of Three Artistic Directions
03 / Research as an Artistic Method
04 / Multi-formality and Spectator ExperienceThe project integrates video art, performance, and spatial installation. The audience interacts with cultural imagery through movement, sound, space, and visual narrative.Positioning«Grounding» occupies a niche between artistic investigation of regional heritage and contemporary myth-making. Its distinctiveness lies in creating a cohesive artistic world, founded on the cultural code of the Voronezh region and presented through interconnected media and performative forms.
Team
The project team consists of an Art Director, Director, Production Designer, Producer, Cinematographer, and performance artists.
From Concept to Realization
- Investigation of the Region’s Cultural Code
2. Development of the Artistic Concept
3. Scriptwriting and Storyboarding
4. Team and Actor Selection
5. Costume and Prop Design
6. Filming of Three Video Arts Pieces
7. Editing and Post-Production
Overall Positioning:
«Grounding» is an original artistic project situated at the intersection of video art, performance, and cultural identity research. By reinterpreting nature, sacred heritage, and traditional costume of the Voronezh region through a contemporary lens, the project creates a new regional mythology—transforming cultural memory into a timely visual experience.
