25-year-old Gosha Rubchinskiy has emerged straight out of a post-Soviet Russia and is starting an empire all of his own. Born and living in Moscow he is a fashion designer, filmmaker and photographer. Inspired by the fall of the Iron Curtain and
25-year-old Gosha Rubchinskiy has emerged straight out of a post-Soviet Russia and is starting an empire all of his own. Born and living in Moscow he is a fashion designer, filmmaker and photographer. Inspired by the fall of the Iron Curtain and Moscovian youth he started his own streetwear label in 2008 called Aglec: "a personal take on the fetishistic uniformity of Moscow street gangs’ post-Perestroika suburb sportswear, mixed with political paraphernalia." His work has a documentary aesthetic informed by his urban surroundings and friends. Representing a new Russia he records day-to-day life on film and camera in both a brutal and celebratory light, bringing the post-Soviet generation to a forefront and giving it a powerful voice. With his debut photography exhibition at Pleasant Gallery we talk to the multi-tasking, super-power about his work.
What influences to your work?
Everyday life in Russia.
Are you inspired by anything or anyone?
I try to get myself into new situations and get to know new people in order to get inspired. The last time this happened was when I met a guy called Arseni at a party in Saint Petersburg – I was incredibly inspired by him and came up with an idea for my next video.
You are not solely a fashion designer or a photographer - how would you describe what you do?
There are things that interest me, and so far I have found two instruments of showing them: creating clothes and taking pictures.
What has been the main driving force behind your work?
I truly believe in a great future for my country and I am happy to show it's spectacular moments, and even make them up sometimes, to inspire others around me.
What aesthetic and feel do you hope your work projects? Is there an underlying message through your work?
I do, of course, have different ideas and messages in my works and they are always clear to me. But what others see in them, might differ from my vision and this is what's interesting, this is what I aim to do: to stimulate others to think, even if it is different from my own thinking.
What are you working on at the moment?
We have just finished production of the special selection of pieces for Dover Street Market – it will be available later this week and we are currently working on the presentation of S/S11 Collection and on the new fanzine.
Interview by Lucia Davies
Gosha Rubchinskiy runs from 17 September to 13 November at Pleasant Gallery, London.
