Artist Vladislav Aksenov | I am no longer a toy

I’M NO LONGER A TOY

2023

Does a doll have a soul?
"I Am No Longer a Toy" is a series of works reinterpreting the symbol of the doll to explore its role in human life. God created a doll from clay in His own image and named it Man. In turn, Man sculpted a doll from clay and began to worship it, and then play with it. The doll symbolizes the human soul, embodying its playful representation.
Today, the doll represents an interaction with the subjective side of the world. A person imbues it with a semblance of life.
Experiments and studies are conducted with dolls to explore the surrounding environment. But what if the doll does possess a soul bestowed upon it by a person? What happens to the soul that has been played with?
The artist re-evaluates the role of the doll in the relationship between human and toy. As people grow up, they leave the doll behind as a relic of the past. In this project, the doll has ceased to be merely a toy, now choosing its own audience and claiming the right to feelings.

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