|
| |
Pioneering Russian artists Igor Makarevich (b.1943) and Elena Elagina (b.1951) for the first time exhibited their unique artworks in the UK in October 2008 in Rochelle School. The exhibition was organised by ARTiculate with great support of GAZPROM Germania. The project employs the hallucinogenic fly agaric toadstool as a metaphor for the sort of irrationality that is as common now in modern culture as it used to be in ancient mystical practices. This vision of contemporary culture is underlined by a new series of paintings and sculptural "objects". Particularly effective was one object that takes Vladimir Tatlin's tower - the iconic symbol of Modernism and avant-garde - and makes it appear to sprout from a fly-agaric toadstool. The artist duo present this image as photographic "proof" in the form of a series of photomontages which emphasise the fungal characteristics of contemporary architecture. These humorous works suggest that hallucinatory visions are not the sole province of shamans, lunatics or dropouts - they have become an inimitable facet of modern life. After London the exhibition also travelled to Berlin. |
| |
EXHIBITION PHOTO GALLERY
Press Release (English)
Press Release (Russian)
Press Release (German)
Artist Biographies
Joseph Bakstein Article on Exhibition
|
|
|
| To Download the full Exhibition catalogue in PDF format, click here |
|
| |
|
|
________________________________
Mushrooms of the Russian Avant-Garde
________________________________
London-Berlin, Nov-Dec 2008.
The exhibition received very positive reviews and feedback from well-known representatives of the art world including Edward Lucy-Smith, the famous UK art critic, the legendary conceptual artist Andrei Monastirskiy and the Commissar of the Russian Biennale Josef Bakstein
Андрей Монастырский:
«Выставка мне чрезвычайно нравится еще и потому, что она как бы движется в правильную сторону в эстетическом смысле, это один из возможных выходов из того кризисного состояния девальвации и энтропии, в котором оказалось современное искусство из-за засилия гламура, китча и попсы последнего десятилетия. Правильная пластика через "пластинчатые" грибы, преодоление кризисной дискурсивной "ряби".
Иосиф Бакштейн:
"Выставка "Грибы русского Авангарда" в Rochelle school, по моему мнению, не просто очень удачное, но и важное художественное событие. Она не только очень точно репрезентирует творчество И.М. и Е.Е. последних лет, но и даёт вполне адекватное представление о состоянии московской художественной сцены, о направлении эстетических поисков, о том круге исторических идей, которые господствуют в умах художников в России".
The exhibition is sponsored by GAZPROM Germania
Info on Sponsor Gazprom Germania |
ARTiculate, 2007-2008