FROM THE SURFACE TO THE CORE. Not sure about everyone else, but I seem to be good at running away from anxious memories before falling asleep or the existential fear of DEATH — my own, my family's, or the slow decay of Russia, my homeland. Yet lately, these thoughts have been catching up with me more often — showing up in my dreams and blending harsh reality with imaginative visions from my artistic mind. And thus, the formula of my art emerged: PAIN → ESCAPISM → DREAM → REFLECTION (ART) This work is a collage, quite literally, of the unconscious images that came to me in dreams. The main tool in my work is my self-portraits, placed within the dreamscapes, recreated using AI details.

"мой дедушка лось" — at the center of the composition stands a motionless moose. I try to call him, to lure him with a dance, but it’s no use. When I received the news of my grandfather's cancer, I started to dream of a moose. This massive, slow, antlered creature somehow embodied my grandfather. I am afraid of this dream. My grandfather doesn't believe in esotericism, but ever since I was a child, he always told me his dreams accurately warned him whenever I was unwell. I don't want this stupid symbolism to predict anything. I don't want it to remind me that I can’t even be there with him in the lonely North. "эскапизм" — I run across the rocks, trying not to fall into the cold, rushing river While packing for my first move to Tbilisi, I dream of my northern homeland—the tundra, the Khibiny mountains, the icy rivers. I can almost physically feel the dampness of decaying leaves mixed with pine needles. "жду" — How much longer must I wait? What if I don't live to see the end of this nightmare of war? Will I ever be able to influence anything in my short life? Or will my life end, ironically, just before the moment everyone finally exhales and buys tickets home?

Name: Daria Photogothica
Born — Location: Russia — Serbia

I spent most of my joyful years in northern Russia, in cold yet heartwarming Murmansk. But the past two years of emigration feel like a blur; time seemed to freeze, along with my sense of space and purpose. I traveled to places I once dreamed of—Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Tbilisi, Yerevan, and now Belgrade. Yet I never wanted to leave home, not for this reason—war. The WAR is the DEATH of choice and meaning.

As an artist shaped by constant migration and unjust state restrictions, my mission is to convey people that this life is worth fighting for—fighting for one's identity and freedom. That's why I collaborate with courageous queer communities and musicians who openly express their independence, antiwar position and passion. As a visual artist and technology lover, I combine the allure of mysticism and darkness with innovative technology, including 3D animation and scans, AI visuals, photography, and video.