Fantasy
Fantasy is a photographic story about dreams and the process of dreaming, which leaves its imprint on the subconscious mind. The all possible world, we discover when sleeping, is a reflection of our thoughts, worries, and desires. Sasha Soloviova, a Kyiv-based director of this shoot, utilizes props as rubber bands, cardboard, wires, nets to create a thread to the subconscious through the physical elements.
The main shapes: a square and a circle, present a definite entity while Jane, a model, adds sensitivity and profound emotions. As Sasha puts it, “All the forms come from the subconscious, which is, simultaneously, exciting and appeasing; and which is endowed with and devoid of meaning.”
We speak with Sasha Soloviova and the team behind Fantasy to understand the deeper layers of the editorial. Michail Soloviov, an assistant in the shoot, explains the process of preparations behind creating the right shapes; Tina, a makeup artist, touches on the topic of comparison between work on a fashion versus art shots; Jane, a model, remembers her feelings during the process. Black and white films propose an additional layer to the autobiographical story drawing our attention to the line between the states of awakeness and sleep.
‘Dreams are very personal. I rarely remember my dreams, but when I do, it’s always a vivid, surreal story in which I face my fears.’
Dreams come as a distorted reflection of reality and a subconscious train of thought. What was the most unexpected narrative in one of your recent dreams?
Sasha: Dreams are very personal. I rarely remember my dreams, but when I do, it’s always a vivid, surreal story in which I face my fears. This type of dreams raises inner problems and concerns that I can consciously ignore in reality. I'm not ready to share a specific story, but for me, dreams are a kind of self-therapy for working through anxiety and fears. I also love that short period of time when you almost fall asleep, the body is relaxed as much as possible, but you are still conscious, it is similar, to an extent, to meditation, but not exactly it. At this time, I feel like puzzle pieces come together, and I can visualize ideas, develop them, and in the future, translate them into reality.
‘All the forms come from the subconscious, which is, simultaneously, exciting and appeasing; and which is endowed with and devoid of meaning.’
Tell about the world of Fantasy you created for this editorial story. What was the starting point, and how did it develop?
Sasha: Fantasy is an autobiography. The project was born to introduce the viewer to me as an artist - this was the starting point. All the forms come from the subconscious, which is, simultaneously, exciting and appeasing; and which is endowed with and devoid of meaning. Fantasy is a game of imagination.
‘My joy is to live the craft also physically, which is what I was able to do through sawing, cutting, bending, and painting.’
You work with fluid and solid shapes using props as fabrics, rubber bands, cardboard, wires. Let’s discuss the preparation for the shoot. What did you manage to create before, and what was improvised on set?
Sasha: Some of the props were bought in a hardware store, some my husband and I made ourselves from scrap materials, and we found the perfect stool in a flea market. We went to a huge hardware store where I took everything that I thought was interesting, holding this or that object in my hands immediately forming an image. That's how I found large pieces of agro fiber, wire, mesh, and soft tubes. I knew for sure that there should be a large circle and a square - my favorite figures, which we created ourselves, I also thought about a triangle, but I really don't like triangles! In general, I knew what I wanted, all the images and poses were drawn in my head in the smallest details, but of course, there was a place for improvisation, for example, until the very last moment I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with the mesh.
If you were to describe the mood of the editorial, how would you put it in 3 words?
Sasha: I will reply not in three words, but rather with three inspirations: the theater Bauhaus, a designer Issey Miyake, and a percussionist Vladimir Tarasov.
What is the most memorable moment or episode from the shooting day or the preparation for it?
Sasha: Everything in the creation of this project was important, interesting, and memorable for me: from the conception of the idea, the preparation of the props, and everything that took place on set, since this was the first project I was involved in from the idea to implementation.
Jane: I remember everything down to the smallest detail, it was like one breath. It was cold, and I remember how the materials came into contact with my body, and me with Sasha.
Michail: For me, craft, in a creative act, is experience through precise numbers, a plan, a drawing, an algorithm, and takes up a formidable resource in preparation for the finished product. My joy is to live the craft also physically, which is what I was able to do through sawing, cutting, bending, and painting. Later it was very interesting to watch the way the model would revive the outfit and what would be the form it'll take on set.
Tina: For me, this shoot was a memorable experience as a whole. Before this shoot, I worked in fashion editorials, but I always wanted to try myself in something different, to get out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what happened. I was astounded at how everything was thought out and planned. Such an approach is not often found.
