LAYERS
The project inverts the archetype of the Koschei fairy tale, where death is hidden in a needle, the needle is in an egg, the egg is in a duck, the duck is in a rabbit, and the rabbit is in an oak tree.
Bark — heaviness, enclosure. On the sketch, the needle is almost dissolved into chaotic lines of texture. At the bottom is a dark, constrained silhouette that is practically hiding itself.Box — vigilance, partially open. The needle begins to emerge within the geometry of the object. The body makes the first, still tentative move toward something.Fur — anxiety, struggle. This is the most chaotic sketch; the needle is lost in a tangle of lines. At the bottom is a torn movement, a strong blur, internal resistance.Feather — tenderness, acceptance. The lines become fluid, and the needle settles harmoniously within them. The body opens up, revealing flow and lightness.Shell — wonder, birth. The needle literally pierces the contour. At the bottom is the moment of flash when the body stops hiding and takes shape.Needle — tranquility, freedom. Only the pure vertical line remains—the essence. And the free, open movement of the body, which no longer needs masks.
The «Layers» project explores how we conceal our core selves beneath masks, roles, and defenses. Beginning with heavy, enclosed armor (oak and bark), the series journeys through deconstruction, culminating in a bare needle—a symbol of absolute vulnerability.
Through a diptych where the material world meets corporeality and movement, I demonstrated that vulnerability is not weakness or defeat. It is a point of exposure where we finally become ourselves. By shedding layers, we cease hiding and attain true freedom—both within the object and within the human body.
This project is about how sincerity is more potent than armor, and precisely that is what makes us alive.
