Motankas
(2025 - ongoing)
A series of works that reimagine the traditional Ukrainian doll as a female body, faceless and beautifully constructed,
to confront narratives and cultural notions regarding the female body.
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Motankas uses the form of the traditional Ukrainian doll, typically faceless, wrapped in fabric, and passed down as a protective symbol, as a framework for exploring the ongoing struggles of women in contemporary culture. Historically a symbol of care and fertility, Carlton transforms the motanka into a contested figure. Through this reimagining, Carlton situates the female body as a vessel subjected to control, while yearning to break free and confront these tensions.

Motanka I
(2025)
archival inkjet print​
27 x 40 in
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Exhibition History:
2025, Annual Juried Members Show, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL​​
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Awards:
Second Place Award, Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
Press/Publication:
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