Dolldom: His Name Is Alexander

The work of sculptor Anna Egorova impacted us greatly back in 2023 with Egorova’s debut into the realm of 1/4th BJDs: Alexander. Presented with the option of two distinct faceplates, Egorova’s sculpting immediately conveyed a clear intention: by harmoniously melding hyper-realistic anatomical elements to the corporeal fragmentation inherent to this doll form, Alexander led us on an exploration of the struggles of human existence – a substantial achievement not solely in artistic terms, but also in the redefinition of a doll’s potential.

Our photographic work with Alexander (with both first-issue faceplates) has veered greatly from our sartorially-propelled approach with other BJDs in the 1/4th scale, devoting our efforts instead to writing more philosophically about dolls as in “What We See Is What We Get”, an exploration of how our subconscious manages to sort out the tension created by countenances that while conveying pathos still manage to co-exist with bodies suggestive of sparagmos.

This past March 2026, Egorova shipped out her new Alexander Remastered (offered for commission in late 2025) and was kind to gift us with her time answering questions about her creative process.

Dolldom: What was you intention when creating Alexander? Why create a doll coded as male versus a doll coded as female?

Egorova: I’ve long been interested in the theme of male dolls—in fact, there are even slightly more of them than female ones in my portfolio. My path in this direction really took shape with the doll Konstantin (1/6th scale); in this sense, the doll Alexander is more of a continuation of the same theme, but on a larger scale.

What drew me to male dolls in the first place was that, at the time, in the BJD community (at least in my country), there were not that many male BJD representations, and this limited range didn’t fully reflect the possibilities of expressing male characters. I wanted to explore that gap and express my own vision of a male figure in my work, to capture certain aspects of masculine beauty as I understand it.

Dolldom: Who is Alexander? How do you as his creator see him?

Egorova: The core theme of Alexander is the melancholy of an observer looking through time. The image that I had in mind while creating all three dolls was initially conceived as something more extensive, including detailed work not only on the sculpt but also on the costume. It was primarily inspired by the spirit of early 20th-century decadence, with touches of post-apocalypse. I even wanted to build a diorama resembling a semi-ruined fragment of an old house in Saint Petersburg to display Alexander, but unfortunately, I didn’t have enough energy to bring all these plans to life.

Dolldom: Is it correct to infer that each faceplate is a different character? Who are they?

Egorova: I’m not particularly strong at creating narratives about characters and prefer to express emotions through visual art. Nevertheless, the facial types and overall imagery evoke the beginning of the 20th century in Russia (where I’m from), a historical period marked by fundamental events whose echoes we still feel today. It feels somewhat ironic that now, at the beginning of the 21st century, I find myself in forced emigration—just as many artists did exactly 100 years ago—and I can’t help but notice this parallel. I hope that I managed to capture this mood in them.

Dolldom: What values propel your process of creation?

Egorova: A ball-jointed doll is quite a complex technical object, which, beyond its visual value, also needs to feel comfortable when handled by human hands. As a result, I’m constantly searching for optimal solutions: trying new painting methods, varnishes, adjusting certain joint mechanisms, and refining gluing techniques.

Dolldom: What approaches to face-ups and body blushing does Alexander Remastered bring?

Egorova: Painting and some proportional changes are more the result of technical development rather than a deliberate artistic device. First, I’ve started using an airbrush, which allows for soft, delicate gradients. In theory, this can help me get closer to greater realism, which is my goal. Previously, I painted everything by hand using pastels—an interesting method in its own way, but more labor-intensive, with a higher risk of imperfections and less flexibility. So, for now, I’m really enjoying exploring the possibilities that the airbrush offers.

Dolldom: We appreciate your sculpting and painting for its naturalistic intentions. Is this a viable assessment?

Egorova: I’ve always been drawn to realism—I have high sensory sensitivity, and through sculpting and imagery I try to convey my fascination with the visual and tactile world. It’s as if I see the world under a microscope. At the same time, it’s a goal that never feels fully attainable, so I’m always in the process—and that progression is visible in how the sculpt evolves across newer versions.

Dolldom’s first entry featuring Egorova’s Alexander Remastered (with three different faceplates, wigs and mustaches all handmade by the artist) aims to evoke time travel by placing Alexander in two distinct chronological points that share one emotional parallel.

Editors’ note: A new pre-order opportunity for Alexander Remastered will open this coming May 2026. For updates and information, follow Egorova’s via her site Solar Wind Dolls, her Instagram, and Facebook accounts.