Bio Daria Aksenova is best known for her pen and ink, suspended, cut paper narrativeshadowboxes. The current focus of her work is the creation of cinematographic storytellingthrough constructed dynamism - arising from layering and complexity of composition - within astatic media, inspired by her past experience with the fashion and film industries.Daria Aksenova uses ink as it is an unforgiving medium that precludes editing and demandsprecision. Individual elements are then hand-cut with a scalpel and suspended against eachother until the desired depth is achieved. Her technique demands a steady hand and unfailingcommitment, often requiring over a hundred hours of dedication and intimacy with each piece.The Subject matter choice is driven by her interest in symbolism, often reflecting conflictinherent to the human condition, as echoed through mythology and folklore. The balance ofplayful storytelling coupled with deeper-seeded significance provides unique yet relatable work.Her pieces evoke a dreamscape-like narrative which pulls in both the eye and mind, presentinga space and opportunity for the imagination to wander into a deep narrative that can only beexperienced firsthand. Artist StatementI have always been fascinated with storytelling, starting with childhood bedside fables andmythology. Three years ago, seeking a new challenge, I undertook creating a narrative arcwithin a static medium, using principles I learned from my previous industries: fashion and film.My mission is to bring back our childhood imaginations that are drowned out by the everydaybustle in our ever-busy lives. I choose my settings and subject material to draw the viewer backto the folklore and myths of their youth, hoping to create artwork that inspires the dreamerwithin.