Maya Golyshkina Built Career On Self-Portraits

(MENAFN- USA Art News) London-based artist Maya Golyshkina has forged a successful career through self-promotion, transforming her artistic practice in late 2019 to focus on self-portraits that integrate sculpture and set design. Her work gained significant attention, including being documented by English photographer Martin Parr before his passing last year, which led to an exhibition at Galerie Nicola von Senger in Zurich last fall.

Golyshkina, who identifies as a Western artist, refined her approach during the Covid lockdown while in her native Russia. With limited resources, she became her sole muse, creating crude cardboard tableaux for a social media audience seeking escapism. She told Observer that her childhood art education, which she described as“more like a toddler at a nursery,” profoundly influenced this approach, stating,“As a kid, I used to build different things on my bed or go to the playground, I played with cardboard, and I kept all of this in mind subconsciously.”

Her works, which sometimes evoke Parr's own Autoportraits, gained instant relatability. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a UK casting director, a follower of Golyshkina, sponsoring her visa. At 21, Golyshkina moved to London. She noted the challenges of her rapid success in a country where many peers are still students, and she faces constant online commentary about her work, particularly accusations of using AI, which she denies, affirming,“I use Photoshop, but I get accused of using A.I. which is not true.”

Golyshkina has collaborated with major brands including Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Lazy Oaf, Tate London museum, and Maison Margiela over the past five years. Notably, a 2022 portrait of herself as a harlequin, initially rejected by Margiela for not being“commercial enough” and for her appearance as a clown, became her most expensive work to date as a print. She prefers direct sales via Instagram to the traditional gallery system, prioritizing financial reward and creative control.“I care about money, and so many people are scared of saying it aloud,” Golyshkina explained.“I'm happy to work with big galleries and big institutions but I don't want to combine bartending and art, that's not me.”

Looking ahead, Golyshkina aims to expand into set design and pursue more commercial work while maintaining artistic integrity. She emphasized her growth, stating,“The limitations I faced during Covid aren't relevant anymore and I feel like I'm a different person now.”

Source: Observer Arts

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