My goal with this series is to show things that bring me certain kinds of joy. The first season centers around a certain childhood stuffed elephant of mine, whose character is that of a certain circus elephant in an old Russian cartoon.
I do not have very many stuffed animals and I think that fact makes those I had more dear to me, and each holds a great many memories. That particular sort of nostalgia brings me some joy and comfort, but it will not be the only kind of joy put on display in future seasons. I intend to photograph other dear possessions of mine which bring me other types of happiness - whether it be a creative, nostalgic, exuberant or merely comforting sort.
The choice to do the shoot was spontaneous; I was just playing around with a lens when I snapped a photo of the elephant and noticed that it was the perfect subject. I took it to a rocking chair that my family has had since I was very young - and which suited the elephant perfectly - and began taking pictures.
When I started editing, I decided to mimic
the aesthetic of circus spotlights to express the character that elephant represents in my mind.