Playa Artist, Natalia Lvova
The Everywhen Project exists to support art and the creators of art, on and off the playa. Art is meant to capture your attention and can be a piece that you cannot help but gravitate towards.
The Everywhen Artist Showcase is pleased to Present playa artist Natalia Lvova who can create truly thought-provoking and stunning pieces of art, large and small.
EWP: Can you tell us a bit about your background, and how you became an artist?
NL: My name is Natalia Lvova. I was born in Siberia in Soviet Russia. Since I was little, I knew I was meant to become an artist, but that was impossible in that town and country and at that time. I had to keep surviving and adapting until 9 years ago I managed to flee the corporate world. I moved to a new country and fully surrendered to art.
EWP: Are there other artists who have influenced your work?
NL: Absolutely. I can’t pinpoint one particular artist, but the Russian avant-garde and the American contemporary art have had a profound influence on me.
EWP: Your work has almost innocent and positive playfulness to it but is also deeply erotic. What is your vision for mixing these elements and what do you wish to communicate to the viewer?
NL: Usually, once a year I create one or two painting collections or create a project, be it sculpture or installation. Each collection is my study of self. I undertake to understand who I am, where I am coming from, and where I am heading to. Sometimes, my collections come out light and I talk about happiness, love for self and others. At other times, I touch upon deeper matters, such as "Analysis of Humanity in the Consumer Era" or "Woman's View of Eroticism and Pornography", and so on.
EWP: What inspires you to create your art?
NL: No matter how trite it sounds - just life, love, and stories.
EWP: You had a very large and striking piece end up in Seplaya Village last September called “The New Religion”. Can you tell us more about how this piece was conceived and what the intentions behind it are?
NL: This piece was conceived as a monument to the consumer era. The stained glass mirrors my reflection on what surrounds us in the modern world. The stained glass windows make up a temple shaped like a shopping bag. It was designed and assembled by Misha Priem, a famous environmental architect from Russia, together with whom I implemented this project.
EWP: What is the story behind why it was in the Black Rock Desert in 2020?
NL: I created this project for Burning Man 2019, but they did not accept it since there should not have been any logos on the playa. Ironically, thanks to the pandemic and the cancellation of the official event in 2020, I managed to bring “The New Religion" to the Black Rock Desert with the support of my friends.
EWP: The piece was recently referred to (though not by name) by the press as perhaps being an ad for Google. What would you say to that?
NL: I can only say this: if someone looks at Michelangelo's David and sees only a penis there, this speaks of the level of their education and unwillingness to look beyond the end of their nose. I created my installation as an invitation to self-reflect and engage in a dialogue; the brands are secondary in it.
EWP: Thank you so much and where can we see more of your art?
NL: I am currently an artist-in-residence at Voss Gallery in San Francisco. My paintings are a part of their permanent art collection. If you want to see more paintings, go to my website www.lvova.pro, or follow me on Instagram and TikTok @lvovapro.
EWP: Thank you so much for taking the time to share a little bit about who you are and the beautiful art you create Natalia. We can't wait to see what you do next!
