WOMAN series. The heaviness of knowledge, legacy and fate that women wear.

Since childhood, I was brought up by strong resilient women. I thought of my personal feelings and experiences of being a woman; I am both soft and warm like felt, yet I am also cool and strong like silver. When I came up with the idea of drawing with silver on felt, I firstly had to use a cheaper alternative metal to test my initial idea; I used lead and when it is poured over felt, it burn-seeps into the thickness of the felt, marrying each other. I made felt with a craftsman in a small mountainous village by the lake, where craftsmen make felt for nomadic dwellings - yurts. The felt is thick, made from natural lamb's wool in several layers. The collars' shape resemble both warrior-armour and baby bib, reminding of the knowledge, legacy and fate that women carry since birth. I chose felt and silver, two most precious and valued materials in my Kyrgyz nomadic culture, to spell out "woman" and draw women's breasts - an adornment, symbol of femininity and motherhood. One must be brave to be a woman and strong to carry everything that comes along with being one.