Artist Statement: Lulu: When I was little, I read the story “Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes” which inspired me to learn how to fold a paper crane. Since then I’ve lost count of how many I’ve folded. I find myself creating the little origami birds at the randomest times without realizing what my hands are doing; in class, at concerts, in the car. No paper is safe from me. Everytime I finish folding a crane, I think of their symbolization of hope and healing, and it feels me with a warm feeling. In my eyes, the crane also shows how fragile, complex, and beautiful the world is. The countless folds of thin paper create something beautiful. My cranes will connect with the community if they are able to see what I see in each paper bird- the complexity and beauty of life filled with hope. Additionally, my cranes show a support of the LGBTQ+ community and acceptance of everyone because the birds are rainbow. I think my piano will inspire students to view the world a little differently, to notice the small delicate things all around us, to see how breathtaking the world around us is. I know that’s a lot to get from one crane, but that’s what I see in them, and I hope others can too.
"We are a mother and daughter team, Oksana Prokopenko and Lulu Lutri. Lulu is 15 and has been around her mom's, Oksana's, studio ever since she was born. Lulu has been actively helping in the past several years, particularly public art murals (Lower East side's 100 Gates angel wings mural on 145 Essex St is still up and very popular), gallery exhibitions set up and gallery hours (most recently Oksana's solo exhibition at X Gallery in Harlem and Hopper-Goetschius Museum in NJ). Prokopenko's works have been acquired into the permanent collections of museums in theåÊUSAåÊand Italy. To quote Margo Grant, the Museum of Russian Art's director, ""The soul of Prokopenko's work is in her walking that fine line between the transcendent and the ordinary.""åÊåÊProkopenko has an upcoming solo exhibition at the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture in NYC. This piano is Lulu's idea and she is the driving force behind this project. Oksana will facilitate all the technical issues. "
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
