Irina Lakshin
Let’s play like children. The biggest difference between them and adults is that the children have imagination and fantasy without boundaries. When they play with toys they imbue qualities shared by themselves and the people around them. I would like to play this game too.
The toy I’ve chosen to play with is bear named Mishka. It is the kind of toy that everybody knows and hopefully likes. The empathy Mishka inspires is a bridge I built to the emotions of my audience.
Mishka is an avatar to represent people. My goal is to craft a universal message which will appeal to everyone, but is communicated through the prism of my view of the world and this life.
Shows:
2021 – “Artist for Artist” Sotheby’s auction, NY, NY
2021 – “Art Miami” group show, New York Academy of Art, Miami, FL
2021 – “RETURN TO FORM” group show, Six Summit Gallery, NY, NY
2021 – “Small works” group show, JAG GALLERY, Key West, FL
2021 – ‘Tribeca Ball” online, New York Academy of Art, NY
2020 – Deck the walls, New York Academy of Art, NY
2020 – Artist for Artist, New York Academy of Art, NY
2019 - "Group show", FLAG gallery, West New York, NJ
2019 - "Group show", the L’ASSENT RUSSE Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2018 – CFA exhibition, New York Academy of Art, NY
2017 – Deck the walls, New York Academy of Art, NY
2015 - "Group show", the OUTSIDE in Gallery, Piermont, NY
2015 – “Group show”, Broadfoot and Broadfoot Gallery, Boonton NJ
2015 – “Group show”, The 155 Project Gallery, New York, NY
2015 - "Group show", transFORM :: GALLERY, New York, NY
2014 - "Women of vision", trio show, The Studio Space on Madison Gallery, Dumont, NJ
2014 - “Group show”, Belskie Museum, Closter NJ
2014 - "Group show", the OUTSIDE in Gallery, Piermont, NY
2014 - "Piermont Flywheel Gallery at transFORM" Group show, transFORM : GALLERY, New Rochelle, NY
2014 -"Holiday group show", Flywheel Gallery, Piermont, NJ
2013 -"Duet show" Cafe Gallery, The Art School at Old Church, Demarest, NJ
2013 - "CLAY EXPRESSIONS" solo show, Flywheel Gallery, Piermont, NJ
2012 - "Holiday group show", Flywheel Gallery, Piermont, NJ
Awards:
2021 - SURP Faculty Award, New York Academy of Art
2021 - Chubb Fellowship nomination, New York Academy of Art
2020 - Ozymandias Scholarship
2019 - Academy Scholar Award
Education:
2019-2021 MFA, New York Academy of Art, NY, NY
2017-2018 CFA, New York Academy of Art, NY, NY
1999-2004 Master Degree in Economics, All Russian Academy of Foreign Trade, Russia
Teaching:
2021 – current - “Portrait in Clay” and “Figure sculpture”, The Art School at the Old Church, Demarest, NJ
2021 – Summer Undergraduate Residency Program, “Figure sculpture”, New York Academy of Art 2021 - “Figure sculpture”, CFA, New York Academy of Art, NY,NY