Maya Skarzenski

Lively Abattoir

“Lively Abattoir” was an ephemeral installation that now exists as prints.

“I create creatures out of soft sculptures, called “Wonks”. These creatures are trapped between contradictory roles; they are harmless and insidious, anxious and excited, independent and co-dependent, symbiotic and parasitic. Together they act as organs but they separate to become individuals. Tied together, they protect themselves while falling victim to their own masochism. They are afraid of themselves yet they cling on to each other for security. They are manifestations of fluidity in sexuality, physical health, and identity. “Wonks” materialize our ambivalence and contradictions. Their softness and inability to hold shape open our minds to change and flexibility. They are relics of the inconsistencies of our inner monologues. They reinsert the fluidity in our lives we are told to ignore and oversimplify. They are the unformed bodies in transition.”