In your works, we can see a lot of combinations of the female body and still lifes, can you tell us about your inspiration? What do you think about the connection between objects and memories?

I always draw my images from my memories. This is such an invisible connection, which is very valuable to me. Therefore, it is very difficult for me as an artist to come up with an idea first and then create a photo. I've never been able to do that. Although, probably, if you analyze what I'm doing, maybe there is some idea in all this, but I wouldn't want to do it. It seems to me that as soon as I understand why I create my images, they will immediately lose their meaning, disappear. As soon as I define my art, it will immediately disappear.

I noticed that people's faces are usually hidden in your portraitures. Why do you do that?

At first I was engaged in documentary photography. And I took portraits of people, then at some point I realized that it was difficult for me to do this, because people themselves are not interesting to me, and how can I make a good portrait if people are not interesting to me? This does not mean that I do not love people, it's just that I get to know them, as well as life, through myself, through my internal conflicts. And when there are eyes in a photo, it's always someone's story, biography, and I have no right not to follow it. What am I talking about? What am I living about? I haven't decided. I do not know who I am, so there is no face in all my photos. The face is the definition. I don't have one.

You mentioned that your concepts of femininity were developed in your childhood by observing your mother. Was that important to your creative process? How did it influence your work?

I can't say that it somehow affected me much, although it probably is. I grew up not noticing and, of course, not analyzing my views on femininity. It seemed to me that everyone lives like this. All my female entourage is constantly on diets, trying to keep young, slim and afraid of age. It was only over the years that I realized I was living in a world of stereotypes. And all in order to just be loved and happy. It seemed to me, as well as, probably, to my mother, that love can be earned by a beautiful appearance. Modern beauty for me is something painful. Many women are ready to cut their body, reshape it, go against their nature, simply because they are unhappy.

Describe your creative process in one word.

oh... this is such a difficult task... My creative process is always torment, always suffering. There has never been such a thing that I calmly conducted a shoot or that an image appeared calmly. I sincerely envy those artists who do it. When an image comes to mind, it begins to torment, because it wants to come out and I have to look for ways to "give birth" to it. It does not always turn out the picture that appeared in my head. Sometimes there is something third - and that's when I'm happy. But this happens very rarely. Basically, all my work is attempts.

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

I really love horror movies, I can talk about them for hours.

What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?

There hasn't been much inspiration lately, but that's not because there's nothing worthy. I think I'm having a period right now, diving into myself and going into solitude. Six months ago, I was really drawn to the classics, I discovered the Russian writer Kuprin and his "Pit". Now more modern Russian prose - I read Sorokin. It is very interesting what modern writers want to say. But Kesey's "Flying over the Cuckoo's Nest" and his main character McMurphy will always remain one of his favorites: "At least I tried."

What is the most played song in your music library?

Depeche mode - enjoy the silence

How do you take your coffee?

I can't live without coffee. I always drink it, but with milk.