Career Ladder

Coysin Nikita – artist in Krasnogorsk city, Moscow Oblast, Russia. Known for his minimalist installations in the area's public spaces in collaboration with local street artists, he is popular for his open-air art gallery illusions interacting with architecture, infrastructure and casual audiences.

His project is dedicated to the difficulties of career growth of an artist, or any graduate of a humanitarian university in Russia, without any experience in the specialty and fragility of reputation, when one "sharp" statement can cause persecution in society, "cancellation" or being declared a "foreign agent".

The Career Ladder project (2023) was one of the most popular projects in the Beginner's Career series dedicated to contemporary art at .ART.gallery.131.

The Career Ladder project consists of glass tubes that contain granulated sugar in blisters of 5 grams, labeled with McDonald’s symbols, arranged horizontally in the form of a rope ladder, ending in loops.

Spectators can observe a freely hanging rope ladder, and only when approaching, they realize that this fragile little structure is not designed to lift a person to the top.

Coysin Nikita - with the help of his work, he wanted to make people aware of their difficulty in starting a career in their profession or when changing professions, when the place in the outside world and connections with other people are not defined, and self-doubt obscures all the advantages of a person in the labor market and his positive attitude is waning. He also wanted to draw attention to the problems of the labor market in an economy that is not a competitive and free problem that began to be discussed at the beginning of the 21st century. His "Career Ladder Project" was not only an aesthetically captivating sight, but also a provocation to reflect on our responsibility for the future, people starting their way in the labor market and forced to shout: "Free Cashier", instead of starting a profession.

What feelings or thoughts does this work evoke in you?

Why do you think Coysin Nikita chose this format for his project?

Would you like to visit this installation or see other works by this artist?