Rodebjer - Nadiia x MASHA REVA
Rodebjer collaborated with artist Masha Reva, known for creating visually playful and surreal artworks and large-scale installations, and stylist Nadiia Shapoval, founder of namesake project Nadiia, for the Fall Winter 2020 show. On camera, Masha and Nadiia in their hometown Kyiv, Ukraine.
Q.Tell us more about how you met and how this collaboration emerged.
Nadiia: We first met Carin in Kyiv, and I felt that we got a real connection and conversation from the beginning, it felt like we’d known each other fora long time.
Masha: Yes, it was quite an organic conversation from the beginning when we met in Kyiv. I love honesty, and I think this is something we have in common and that was natural from the beginning. The process of working on this project came together really smoothly, a real pleasure to work with likeminded people as well as friends.
Nadiia: I think we totally matched from the beginning. It is all about being easy and sincere. It affected styling, set decoration and casting.
Carin: After meeting Nadiia and Masha I felt they had the same way of approaching creativity and life as me. This made our collaboration together feel very natural. They are always finding new creative spaces to work with and choosing the medium after the concept. I find it very inspiring to see Nadiia and Masha work both together and separately and how they combine traditional artisanal creativity with a modern take. They are very modern, direct and honest about their work.
Masha: The idea of focusing on female creatives is interesting in terms of clashing energies. When I worked on the set-design I wanted to capture the state of creating, I wanted the audience to feel that they are inside an artist studio with all these exaggerated drawings and white fabrics that symbolize canvas.
Q.How has it been working together?
Carin: It has been very inspiring and fresh to me. Nadiia and Masha havea very clear view and an honest approach to their work. They are bothvery confident and unapologetic which I like. No pretending, just very straight forward. I just trusted them from the very start. Real people with lots of real talent. Kind of a dream combination to me.
Masha: I like the level of trust we have, it’s a kind of dream scenario for an artist - to have freedom and just enjoy the process. Also, me and Nadiia worked on kind of different parts of the project and it’s very tempting to see how it all comes together.
Q.What similarities do you see in your work?
Masha: I think we all share sincerity; we want people to get real, feel touched and feel emotions.It’s pretty obvious one may think, sincerity. But in the rhythm we’re living in it feels like it’s rare.
Nadiia: Yes, sincerity is very rare and also very important when you communicate with sensitive artist’s souls.
Q.Nadiia and Masha – How do you apply and interact your background,culture and heritage into your artisanal work
Nadiia: I think all of my projects are created as a result of me rethinking my roots. My family has a very strong story - my grandparents were close to the group of people who were against the Soviet regime. They were writers, artists, philosophers. Some of them died in jail just because they were trying to communicate the idea of Ukraine to be separate from USSR. Since my childhood I have seen so many traditional Ukrainian crafts at my grandma’s apartment. Also, I met real people - her friends. I think this has impacted me eternally.
Masha: Sometimes we travel to Eastern Ukraine or just around the villages surrounding Kyiv. It’s inspiring to meet locals and see their routines and everyday life, which is so different compared to Kyiv where we’re living and working.
Q.What does your separate creative processes look like?
Nadiia: I mostly need to feel inspired by people I meet in my life. I usually take some days and try to concentrate on the theme I am currently working on. After that it just flows, I just do what I want to do. My inner willis always leading the way, I don’t even know how to analyze it.
Masha: I’m in a constant state of observing, taking pictures is part of my daily routine. Usually I do a broad research for each project, sit down and look at my observations, then I start sketching. I love the power in mixing a number of different mediums. First of all, the process entertains me. I perceive each project as an opportunity to learn, I try to discover and continuously develop my skills. I’m also excited to make things work. Art for the sake of art is not my case, I’m quite a practical person but I think the journey is more exciting than the actual result.
Carin: My process is very connected to seeing new things and meeting interesting people. I need to see and learn something new every season. Creativity and Rodebjer for me is about moving forward.