Sparking curosity for an endangered indigenous Eurasian language.
Context & Form
In the past, the traditionally nomadic peoples of Tuva would gather around their campfires at night and listen to storytellers regale them. Today however, both this ancient pastime and the Tuvan language itself are endangered due to Russia's encroachment upon Central Asia.
Inspired by Dr. Rossina Soyan, a native Tuvan speaker and educator, I am working with motion and print to augment the telling of a tuvan epic, as told by Mr. Sojdak-ool Xovalig.
Drawing from Stamps
Soviet-era, Tannu Tuva stamps serve as the visual precedant for my work. Rich in color, style, and history, these stamps were once used to commodify Tuvan life for the monetary benefit of Russia. My goal is to co-opt their style in service of telling a singularly Tuvan story.
Layers of Life
Looped animations build on the underlying scene and highlight easily communicable words like "elk" and "forest" - calling to mind the living, breathing concepts which they vocally represent.
English in Print
For clarity, just the cyrillic Tuvan script is included in the animation. English readers and speakers however, can rely on a short booklet to gain further context and for a full translation of the story.
Credits & notes.
June 2023 - Present
Illustrator, After Effects, Figma, Indesign
