This week we welcome Irina Varina, an artist from Uzbekistan who splits her time between NYC and Philadelphia. Varina acts in film and theater, and produces her own films.
Since 2022, she’s been moonlighting as the Ministry of Loneliness, collecting loneliness claims from passersby on the streets of NYC, Philly, and, mostly recently, Bryn Mawr College.
The Ministry of Loneliness pops up at random times on busy sidewalks. If someone sees “the Minister,” they can stop by and file a claim about feeling lonely (about anything).
Very late at night, “the Minister” chalks anonymous bits from people’s claims on city pavements. See more of Varina’s work on her Instagram and website.
Check out more of our Artist of the Week features here.
