Jana Astanov

Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, USA

Artist statement

An early fascination with theatre, especially the ritualistic meditative kind, my homeland of Baltic/Slavic tribes of Mazury Lake District, and religious upbringing are the roots of my artistic practice. The Shamanese, the go-between medium, revealing the will of the divine and connecting the tribe with its vital force, can be compared to the Platonic concept of the Poet / Artist who translates the meanings of cosmic consciousness for the rest of us. I see my performance art practice as “mythology vs ideology” referring to my two main interests: the political & economic foundations of our civilization and mythological/ religious values.

Artwork