Varvara Sudnik: "Now that my residency has become virtual, the place where I work remains the same — the corners of my house. So, I continue to "live" the research I want to dedicate the project to.

It is about how poverty and the precarious conditions of artistic work are intertwined with family ties, affecting domesticity, a sense of security, and depth. In the artistic environment, the word "family" appears in projects about memory and origins but is not allowed to be invited to the artistic residencies. These conditions only permit "collectives" or "duos," individuals who are deemed useful to the institution and increase the scale of "production." Grants are increasingly awarded to artistic projects that address social inequalities and propose to establish new connections in the cultural sphere. However, they do not provide sufficient funding to meet the basic needs of artists, rendering them both vulnerable and unable to forge strong connections due to the constant need for movement, such as seeking work or housing outside specific countries. Art institutions offer minimal compensation, refuse to accommodate family members, and demand the creation of a final product within a short timeframe. In conversations with colleagues and friends from different cultural backgrounds, the focus is increasingly on scarcity in general and "dreams" where basic needs are finally fulfilled.

In the InSILo virtual residency, I would describe, on the one hand, the constant experience of need, the strategies employed to maintain balance, and the reliance on domestic responsibilities, as well as established family and friendships, which often prove more valuable than transient artistic opportunities.
I aim to openly express that stability and depth are crucial while I am constantly seeking them being in a vulnerable position. On the other hand, I explore strategies for change and imagine mechanisms that could disrupt the existing order, where artists act as shields and are expected to reshape the social order for minimal wages.
During the virtual residency, I will create a three-part embroidery connected by a "golden thread" (both literally and metaphorically), which contributes to the title of the project (Bel: "Красная нить") and raises the question of whether there is a place for the so-called "work-life balance" in artistic production?"