SAMIZDAT: a five part book series on the events surrounding alexey navalny’s arrest 2021

this project is a response to the recent protests around Russia in response to Alexey Navanly’s poisoning and arrest with using reference to the soviet self publishing movement during the 1950s-80s, samizdat.

this series of books explores different facets of the protests including: who is Navalny and why the injustice enacted against him has provoked nationwide protests, two articles that provided live updates of the protests, accounts of police brutality and apartment raids, protest language. actions for femme political prisoners, and an essay on the history of samizdat, self publishing, digital censorship and the role of print in dissident media.

all of the books have relied on risograph printing as its primary production technology. i have combined traditional printmaking, risograph printing, and a range of book bindings and book structures to showcase various styles of self publishing.

russian/english risograph printed biography of Alexey Navalny; screenprinted cover; saddle stitch.
edition of 20

SAMIZDAT PART 2:
MAMA WOULD BE PROUD

russian/english risograph printed collection of news articles covering the Navalny protests and first hand accounts of events from protestors interviewed by Mediazona and from @koifman.m describing his experience with being detained and having his apartment searched accompanied with 15 linocut block prints. coptic bound.
edition of 20

SAMIZDAT PART 3:
AKVADISKOTEKA

russian/english risograph printed Mediazona article covering the origin “Akvadiskoteka” protest slogan and the “aquatic disco” in the plans for Putin’s mansion, including his chosen playlist. fishbone accordion fold.
edition of 20

SAMIZDAT PART 4:
FEAR AND LOVING

russian/english risograph printed Mediazona articles covering peaceful Valentine’s day protests with flashlights, the arrest of a Pussy Riot member, and an Instagram post from @polina.jpeg describing a circle of solidarity with women political prisoners that took place in St. Petersburg where the participants read verses from the Anna Akhmatova poem, Requiem. z-fold.
edition of 20

SAMIZDAT PART 5

russian/english risograph printed personal essay on the history of samizdat, the censorship that gave birth to samizdat and how this compares to digital censorship, particularly in Russia and the United States, and the role of print tactility in a digitally dependant age.
edition: 20

Zaika, 2020

Accordion fold book combining various linocuts of various scenes in New Orleans featuring hand-cut type from chipboard.

Dasha and Morozka, 2018

Russian/English children’s book geared toward children growing up bilingual or in a mixed culture family.
Riso-printing + Japanese stab stitch binding under hardcover.

Go I know not where
Joan Mitchell Center +
Good Children Gallery 

A series of work begun in residence at the Joan Mitchell Center in 2024, Go I know not where is inspired by the Slavic folkloreism and social geology. The title comes from the story Go I Know Not Where, Bring Back I Know Not What, which tells a royal huntsman whose spared bird-wife helps him through perilous trials. Barbara Henry’s analysis highlights how this tale reflects the transition from magical to practical elements due to industrialization and environmental change. Reflecting this theme, the show explores water’s dual role as both generative and destructive in Southern Louisiana. It features drawings of local waterways, cyanotypes of personal symbols like hair and palm fronds, paper made of algae, and historical references such as Soviet-era exile measures. The work further delves into Slavic folklore with the deity Mokosh, using embroidery patterns to connect with cultural and ecological narratives and the interplay between memory, environment, and tradition. This work was shown at Good Children Gallery in New Orleans in 2024.

Good Children Gallery
Setpember 14 - October 6, 2024 

Installation shots from solo show, Go I know not where, at Good Children Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana

Stolovaya
September 28, 2024
Photography by Victoria Gudino & Irma Nikolayeva

In the frame of the exhibition, Katya Vaz and Katya Simkhovich (founder of Dom Zakuski) organized a multi-course dinner and discussion surrounding Louisiana and Eastern European cuisine, how food and tradition are influenced by geographical location and culture, and finally how to connect with a culture outside of its original context, bringing together 23 people. The dinner was accompanied by a small book that describes both the dinner and significance of the exhibition in further detail, as well as letterpressed menus, both designed and produced by Katya Vaz.

The name, Stolovaya, comes from a type of casual dining establishment commonly found in Russia and other former Soviet countries. Often compared to a cafeteria, it offers a variety of affordable, home-style dishes in a straight forward setting. Customers typically select their meals from a counter, where they can choose from options like soups, stews, and salads. Stolovayas are known for their communal atmosphere and are popular for their hearty, traditional offerings.

Research and development of Go I know not where during the Joan Mitchell Center residency in 2024.

pyaterochka, 2019

This painting, featuring a display of sausage in a typical Russian corner store like Pyaterochka, delves into the concept of commonality and familiarity within a specific cultural context. By focusing on this everyday scene, the work explores how certain items and practices become symbols of shared experience and identity among those within the group, while remaining largely unnoticed or even unfamiliar to outsiders. Through this depiction, the painting invites viewers to consider how ordinary objects can serve as markers of cultural belonging and highlight the nuanced boundaries that define inclusivity and exclusivity in everyday life.