Interview with Ola Rondiak
1. Were you interested in capturing any gestures in your straitjacket series?
On one hand, by keeping the hands folded across the body one might get a feeling of safety, unable to harm oneself or others. On the other hand, this gesture can give a feeling of restraint and confinement. In my current “Committed” exhibit with John William Gallery and in my “Facing” exhibit in Ukraine you can see both of these gestures, as well as a combination of others, revealing other feelings on this continuum. For example, when the arms are hanging down the sides of the body in straight lines, it can be interpreted as on the way to freedom, or on the way to restraint. And when the jacket hangs on the wall on its own, there is an entirely new interpretation.
2. What most excites you about the pieces you have created?
My straitjacket series is an organic progression of my work and I’m very excited that I was able to tap into this form of expression as it combines so many facets of my life and allows for a whole new way for me to express myself. I feel genuinely connected to this series and I’m very excited about all of the possibilities with this form of expression. I’m most excited that I have an endless amount of inspiration and great visions for continuing deeper into this series. This is just the beginning.
3. To what should the viewer pay special attention?
As always, I think every viewer takes away what they need. There are many ways to interpret this series and different aspects to focus on. One might feel drawn to the psychological concept itself, or simply be interested in the fashion statement. Others may enjoy the philosophical discussion of the meaning of freedom or the historical elements that are present through my autobiographical details.
4. What emotion was primarily driving the composition in each jacket?
I think the emotions fluctuate throughout the series and the primary force is my desire to bring the viewer in by providing an aesthetically pleasing work in order to interest them or grab their attention for a moment. And then, as with my collages on canvases and sculptures, the viewer is invited to understand or appreciate the depth of the information as they desire.
5. What struggles did you face as you worked on the series or a particular piece, and how did you overcome any struggle?
My most recent struggle was with a human sized sculpture that I created for an opening in Kyiv last week. The purpose of this sculpture was to provide yet another way to display one of my straitjackets. Creating sculptures of this size is still a fairly new process for me and after weeks of making it out of plaster, fully wrapping rope around it, and creating stone mosaic boots, I ended up with two problems. One was structural, as it was leaning forward and was not stable enough to stand on its own. And of course, this was days before the opening! In order to solve this I had to drill into the bottom of the boots, add metal poles as far as I could up through the shins, and then bolt these poles to a wooden board for the sculpture to stand. The other struggle was that the form of the sculpture and the detailed finishings actually completed the sculpture and so its purpose of placing a straitjacket on it was lost. I was able to solve this by placing on it a very minimalistic, unfinished straitjacket which created a new, exciting, unexpected feeling.
6. What surprised you about the way each piece came together?
I'm not sure if it's a surprise, but I do love how each piece has its own personality and voice. I’m continuously intrigued how the process of getting more deeply involved provides an endless world of possibilities.
7. Can you give our readers some background that nurtured your process and this series?
As an undergraduate at Hunter College I majored in Psychology and worked as a Social Worker in Brooklyn before going back for my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. I then worked as a Psychotherapist in Philadelphia before moving with my husband to Kyiv, Ukraine. As a first generation American, born to Ukrainian immigrants, I was curious to explore my roots and when Ukraine became free from the Soviet Union and a job opportunity presented itself to my husband, we made a very quick and easy decision to move there.
8. Explain how your experience growing up in Ukraine impacts the theme of the work.
My parents were forced to leave Ukraine after WWII , due to the repressions of the Stalinist regime. My grandparents had been arrested and tortured for simply being Ukrainian and when my mother and grandfather had to flee my grandmother had to stay with my sick aunt who shortly thereafter died at nineteen years old. My grandmother was sent to Mordovia , Russia to a female labor camp while my mother and grandfather were refugees and ended up in a camp for displaced people in Austria for four years before ending up in America. My mother never saw her mother again from the age of eleven but after my grandmother was released from the Gulag she smuggled out her embroideries which she secretly created while there using fish bones for needles. A priest who was traveling to America was able to take them for her in hopes of finding her family. Through the Ukrainian diaspora, they made their way to my family and my mother was able to write letters with my grandmother.
While living in Ukraine for the past 25 years, we have watched a post-soviet country develop into a democratic, independent society and witnessed first hand two revolutions. I believe that the trans-generational pain in my family history as well as Ukraine’s struggle to freedom gave a strong impetus into the development of my straitjacket series.
9. How do the forms and patterns speak to the overall narrative?
The basic forms and patterns of the straitjacket speak to the overall question of the meaning of freedom.
10. Talk about your studio space. What aspects offer inspiration? Do you organize your materials, or is the studio a hot, organized mess?
I am very fortunate to have two studio spaces. The main one is in Kyiv Ukraine and the other one is in New York City, as I spend a lot of time there as well. I believe the fact that I travel between the two spaces helps keep my creative juices flowing. I am always affected by the change in the cultures and forced to see different perspectives and ways of life.
When I am working on a new project, no matter which studio, the space quickly becomes a crazy, hot organized mess! I don’t pay attention to it until the storm passes, new ideas come to fruition, and then I’m forced to clean and reorganize. But organization can have many different levels…. My organization probably has its own unique definition.
11. Do you have a certain routine you follow?
In terms of a work routine, I travel a lot between the two countries and try to manage my time most effectively. For example, when I have access to my studio spaces, I try to maximize that creative time and when I am visiting family or helping one of my children with their lives, I can then work on the practical elements of my work. Another perfect example is the fact that I just flew into NYC last night from Kyiv and so I am utilizing my very early jet lag morning to answer these interview questions before the rest of the practical day begins. I have come to understand that there is a special purpose to all of the different aspects of my movements. My routine is basically dictated by all of the pieces of my life, including family, travel, and deadlines for exhibits.
In terms of personal routine, although frequently disrupted, I try to maintain an intermittent fasting schedule. I prioritize my thinking and planning tasks, along with some form of exercise into my morning routine, prior to my first meal. This gives me a sense of control and allows me to plan my big rocks for the day before all the little ones take over!
12. What do you want the viewer to take away after seeing your work?
I hope that my art continues to question the meaning of freedom and what it means to us. I also hope that it helps provide a space to get a better understanding of the restrictions we tend to place on finding our own freedom within. My grandparents taught me that we have the responsibility to create our own freedom regardless of our situation. I think this is a very relevant topic today, as many of us have been feeling confined due to lockdowns because of the Covid pandemic.
13. How much do the typical rules of fashion play into your work?
I don’t think that I spend much conscious time on understanding the typical rules of fashion. Of course, I want my work to be relevant and contemporary, but I have always felt rebellious in terms of following any kind of rules. I don’t like for someone to tell me what is or isn’t fashionable. I always wanted to create my own definition.
14. Do you spend much time sketching out each piece?
I tend to work intuitively. Meaning, I soak up experiences and gather information in the world and then when I’m in the studio, somehow it all gets processed and reflected back in another form. I do sketch and take notes when I get ideas but then I rarely find myself going back to find those notes. It’s as if writing it down was enough to enter into my personal system in my brain.
15. Where do you get your materials?
I get materials from everywhere! I have bought materials in other countries and created in many hotel rooms, including Czech Republic before my Prague exhibit, Rome before my exhibit at the U.S. Embassy, as well as Lviv, Ukraine and Paris. I get inspired in flea markets, thrift shops, and hardware stores.
16. Do you have any stories to share about clothing, type of clothing, or memories of clothing?
Interesting question, one that I haven’t thought about at all. I remember always loving to put together my own outfits using something contemporary and something very old, even antique. I always wished my mother kept more of her clothes which I would see in old photos, so I would shop in thrift shops to recreate some of that look. She used to tell me that I was born in the wrong century! I also used to always pack too much clothes for every trip and I still do the same.
17. Have you experienced any new sense of self-discovery?
Yes, of course. I think that why I create! I often end up understanding why I created something after its completion. Creating art helps me to understand my world. In terms of the straitjacket series, it was mostly inspired by the lives of my grandparents, given their extreme challenges. Finding oneself in the Gulag, losing everyone and everything that meant something to you, and still having hope and love and determination….. I am forever changed by the impact of their histories. I also feel a great deal of responsibility to give a voice to these stories because there is a lot to learn from them and for this I am very grateful. My greatest discovery through the process of creating this straitjacket series is an organic return to my love for fashion. Through giving my ancestors a voice, they have given me permission to enjoy and further explore one of my earliest passions.