Nadia Koikova
Prison Game
About the project
This art object explores freedom, restriction, and human will, showing how inhumane conditions erase differences, suppress energy, and reduce a person to an object. The game board, consisting of 14 sections, mirrors a prison with cold cells and strict boundaries. The alternating light and dark squares create a playable field, with the rules set by the viewer. The 32 figures seem uniform—identical pedestals, bald heads, lack of clothing—suggesting a system, be it a prison, school, or institution. Yet, on closer inspection, each reveals individual traits, offering a glimpse of their potential fate beyond this condition. "Prison Game" invites viewers to engage with the object and reflect on freedom, control, and the possibility of seeing a person where none seems to exist.

"Prison Game" Interactive Ceramic Installation This art object explores themes of freedom, restriction, and human will, reflecting how inhumane conditions erase differences, suppress energy, and transform a person into an object. The game board, consisting of 14 sections, resembles a prison structure with cold cells and strict boundaries. The alternating light and dark squares make the field playable, yet the rules of the game are created by the viewer. At first glance, the 32 figures appear uniform—identical pedestals, bald heads, lack of clothing. They seem to fix the characters’ belonging to a system, whether it be a prison, a school, or another institution. However, upon closer inspection, each figure reveals individual traits, offering a glimpse into their potential fate beyond this condition. "Prison Game" invites the viewer not only to interact with the object but also to reflect on the boundaries of freedom, the nature of control and power, and the possibility of seeing a person where, seemingly, there is none. Material: Hand-sculpted ceramics Size: 70 x 70 cm (assembled)
About the artist
Name: Nadia Koikova
Born — Location: Belarusian SSR - Russia - Georgia

I grew up in Moscow, a city that always felt alien to me. I studied, worked, made friends, and loved there, but everything changed with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Unable to speak out against the war openly, I decided to leave. In September 2022, I moved to Tbilisi. Here, I felt alive for the first time and discovered ceramics—a medium that has become my anchor amidst instability and has completely transformed my life over the past two years.