Born in the USSR, Varvara Shavrova is a visual artist who lives and works in London and Dublin. In engaging memory, nostalgia and reflection, Shavrova creates installations that make connections between historic and current narratives.
2016-2019 MFA (Fine Art) Goldsmiths College, University of London Public
2004-2005 Art & Design NVQ, Freeform Arts Trust, London
1987-1990 Fine and Art & Graphic De- sign, Moscow State University of Print- ing Arts
During her five years in Beijing, Varvara Shavrova got the chance to observe the innermost aspects of Chinese culture, which translated into two of her main works, “The Opera” and “Windows on Hutong”. The former consists of a video featuring composer Benoit Granier’s soundtrack. “The Opera” is an insight into the intimate spaces of the Peking Opera actors and ac- tresses, where they undergo a transformation from male to hy- per-female and vice versa. By the video, the viewer can recog- nize a contemporary face, with whom he can empathize and relate, leaving them to wonder who the real person behind the mask is. On the other hand, “Windows on Hutong” underscores the intense modernization process Beijing is going through. Each photo is accompanied by different audios the artist rec- orded in the hutong in 2009. Shavrova believes the audience needs to pay attention to the destruction of hutong and the im- pact it has on Chinese cultural heritage.
