Yearning for the Sky
A project of the Parallel Program of the 7th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art
2018
Curators:
Ekaterina Sisfontes
Andrey Prigov
Producer: Zinaida Saplina
A project of the Parallel Program of the 7th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art
2018
Curators:
Ekaterina Sisfontes
Andrey Prigov
Producer: Zinaida Saplina
The project YARNING FOR THE SKY
was held as part of a parallel program
7th International Moscow Biennale
of Contemporary Art
between 12th to 24th October 2017
in the Small Exhibition Hall ARTPLAY,
Moscow, Russian Federation
The project involved artists from 8 countries
Yearning for the Sky
Throughout humankind’s whole history, the Sky has been the antithesis of the earth that was brought into being by murky chronic forces. From olden times, the Sky has been the place of residence of ideal beings not subject to merciless biological, natural, and social laws. Virtually all denizens of the terrestrial world have striven to join the ranks of those sublime creatures, if not during their lifetime but at least after their death.
At different moments in history, the Sky was in the lead of many peoples and whole nations feeding humankind is many dreams, aspirations, fantasies as well as delirious hope. The Sky has also been the abode of ideal and internal love. The Sky has equally engendered attempts to find heavenly elements in life on the terrestrial firmament and endeavors, to create an earthly paradise in the form of utopias.
For the last 300 years, people have been trying to reach the Sky by various mechanical means – air balloons, dirigibles, airplanes, and rockets. Despite all these efforts, it has not revealed its true depth. The Sky’s unattainable and mysterious core, which embosoms people’s aspirations and dreams, remains a mystery. No matter how fast and high we fly the Sky steadily recedes back into the endless depths of the Universe. Although lying right at our feet it continuously expands itself up and out, immersing itself into the violent pulp of the stratosphere and then into the vast deep space where it eventually assumes the form of skies above faraway worlds.
Perhaps, the unattainability of the Sky is the source of our unquenchable striving to reach it and our endless yearning for it.
The participants of the Yearning for the Sky project used their artwork to explore the great diversity of humankind’s relationship with the Sky across the époques, geographic zones, cultures, and worldviews as well as the flows of emotions, feelings, sensations, and fantasies, the multitude of philosophies, scientific paradigms and technological solutions and have found their source in the blue expanse above our heads.
Dmitry & Yelena Kawarga
Marina Zviaginceva
Maria Arendt
Natalya Arendt
Andrey Prigov
D’ARIA
Wojciech Tomasz Pindur
Akihito Okunaka
Toshihiro Sakai
Vitaly Pushnitsky
Maria Koshenkova
DUO Contradiction
Tatiana Antoshina
Vladimir Seleznyov
Vasiliy Slonov
Kim Changkyum
Natalia Struchkova
Tatiana Stadnichenko
David Heikkinen
Aleksander Morozov
Sergey Katran
Dmitry Bulnygin
What if you create a kind of ark – urban sculptures, inhabited by homeless animals …
These can become strange biomorphic formations, fortified on the roofs of buildings or in parks and squares, depending on the physiology of their possible inhabitants.
The social man created for himself a rational geometric world, but in the twenty-first century, it is quite appropriate to give up excessive despotism, creating not square dovecotes and not rectangular canine booths.
On the one hand, such objects of art will bring a therapeutic visual alternative, diluting urban landscapes with natural forms. And at the same time, they become the centers of cultural leisure of citizens, initiating a rare opportunity to communicate with living nonhuman beings …
It is quite appropriate to ask whether homeless animals will want to settle in the objects. In case they do not want, people will expect and strongly encourage their appearance.
In this expectation and the process of constant observation by townspeople over the life of form-building, their role is precise. The sense of creating a situation that is conducive to switching attention to natural irrationality, randomness, non-functional excesses, etc.
Artist’s Website: http://kawarga.ru/
What if you create a kind of ark – urban sculptures, inhabited by homeless animals …
These can become strange biomorphic
formations, fortified on the roofs of buildings or in parks and squares, depending on the physiology of their possible inhabitants.
The social man created for himself a rational geometric world, but in the twenty-first century, it is quite appropriate to give up excessive despotism, creating not square dovecotes and not rectangular canine booths.
On the one hand, such objects of art will bring a therapeutic visual alternative, diluting urban landscapes with natural forms. And at the same time, they become the centers of cultural leisure of citizens, initiating a rare opportunity to communicate with living nonhuman beings …
It is quite appropriate to ask whether homeless animals will want to settle in the objects. In case they do not want, people will expect and strongly encourage their appearance.
In this expectation and the process of constant observation by townspeople over the life of form-building, their role is precise.
The sense of creating a situation that is conducive to switching attention to natural irrationality, randomness, non-functional excesses, etc.
Artist’s Website: http://www.artmarin.ru/
What if you create a kind of ark – urban sculptures, inhabited by homeless animals …
These can become strange biomorphic
formations, fortified on the roofs of buildings or in parks and squares, depending on the physiology of their possible inhabitants.
The social man created for himself a rational geometric world, but in the twenty-first century, it is quite appropriate to give up excessive despotism, creating not square dovecotes and not rectangular canine booths.
On the one hand, such objects of art will bring a therapeutic visual alternative, diluting urban landscapes with natural forms. And at the same time, they become the centers of cultural leisure of citizens, initiating a rare opportunity to communicate with living nonhuman beings …
It is quite appropriate to ask whether homeless animals will want to settle in the objects. In case they do not want, people will expect and strongly encourage their appearance.
In this expectation and the process of constant observation by townspeople over the life of form-building, their role is precise.
The sense of creating a situation that is conducive to switching attention to natural irrationality, randomness, non-functional excesses, etc.
Artist’s Website: http://www.artmarin.ru/
Marina & Natalia Arendt
In the understanding of the artist, the sky is the highest realm exceptionally with respect to the earth and its inhabitants.
At the same time, water space, its oceans, which cover the biggest part of our planet, we often perceived as a world of darkness and chaos, where a human can step only with big risk for his life. The ocean and its inhabitants, from a human point of view, are doomed to eternal existence in the lower part of the universe, which is infinitely distant from the sky heights.
We are living in our permanent relationship with the sky through our dreams, faith, and scientific and technical efforts, we never think about what can link the ocean and the sky, the inhabitants of the ocean and sky-high space.
Have we ever asked ourselves the question – do the inhabitants of the ocean to sheer infinity of the celestial spheres?
If they dreaming of conquering outer space? Creatures, which live in the oceans don’t have the physical, intellectual and
technical skills, are necessary needed them to achieve their dreams.
But we can already imagine what opportunities they will provide in the nearest future…
In the understanding of the artist, the sky is the highest realm exceptionally with respect to the earth and its inhabitants.
At the same time, water space, its oceans, which cover the biggest part of our planet, we often perceived as a world of darkness and chaos, where a human can step only with big risk for his life. The ocean and its inhabitants, from a human point of view, are doomed to eternal existence in the lower part of the universe, which is infinitely distant from the sky heights.
We are living in our permanent relationship with the sky through our dreams, faith,
scientific and technical efforts, we never think about what can link the ocean and the sky, the inhabitants of the ocean, and sky-high space.
Have we ever asked ourselves the question – do the inhabitants of the ocean to sheer infinity of the celestial spheres?
If they dreaming of conquering outer space? Creatures, which live in the oceans don’t have the physical, intellectual, and
technical skills, necessary needed them to achieve their dreams.
But we can already imagine what opportunities they will provide in the nearest future…
The piece is related to the symbolic stairway which should lead to Haven.
Sky for me is a symbol of freedom, a dream of a fantasy pushing the imagination to its limits.
But nowadays there are places on earth where People who look up to the sky do not see a dream or freedom just bombs.
The sky is not a place for bombs. Work is a manifesto against the production of weapons, killing, and terrorism. It is against the WAR, restriction of dreams and freedom. Let the SKY be at peace.
NO MORE WAR!
Wojciech Tomaz Pindur
This object opened the main part of the project and was built specifically for this hall. The total height of the object is about 6 meters.
This is a collaborated artwork completed by two Japanese artists.
Akihito completes his artworks to express the dynamism connecting various existences or phenomena in this world. he would like to show people interactions among people, things, and events through the sensorial experience of his works.
Toshihiro focuses on the simple beauty in our life or the world. He
would like to be his artwork as a small key let people touch of the beauty.
Now, their two artists thought about the yearning for the sky.
First, people face an image rushing a lot of number eight from left to right, like “88888”. This image is inspired by streaming video on the internet.
Many young people watch it and comment on the screen, then they write down “88888” instead of hand clapping (A meaning of it is the sound of hand clapping “Pachi Pachi” and the pronunciation of the Japanese eight “Pachi” is a very similar sound for Japanese people.) Toshihiro was interested in it, and he mixed the video up its idea and the Japanese ancient myth “YAKUMO” which means a cloud of eight brings you good fortune.
As old stories say, clouds overlap many times to be Yakumo, and they call good fortune for you.
Our new media on the internet makes many “888888”, and it will bless the world. I hope.
A curator of this exhibition: Ekaterina taught us that eight represents eternity.
Luck and blessing last forever and glitter among a transparent cloud.
Appeal to the sculpture may seem somewhat unexpected for Pushnitsky’s work. But a
conscious work, directly exploring the nature of three-dimensional objects, was started in the series “Dynamic Structures”.
These objects were extremely simple and stacked in structures like cubes from a
children’s designer. Moreover, for their
creation, not artistic but ordinary building
materials used: foam concrete,
gypsum board, foam-propylene, chipboard, and technical marble, which were deposited on the bars.
At first glance, it seemed that these
natural-philosophical works do not have a direct connection and dialogue with the
history of art, but then it became clear that this whole operation was carried out only in order to re-establish harmony with the person in its center from the basic elements.
It is this experience with absolute
the transparency revealed behind the entire visible figurative superstructure and dramatic plots of Pushnitsky’s painting is actually
hidden the inner work of analyzing and searching for immaculate geometric, spatial systems behind which, as it turns out, the
secret “skeleton” of emotion, strong
experience and, in the final analysis, the graphic three-dimensional accuracy of the work of art.
Dmitry Pilikin
Artist’s Website: http://pushnitsky.ru
Artist’s Website: http://mariakoshenkova.com/
DUO Contradiction is an indefinite group of an indefinite number of people with ambiguous goals and uncertain ways of reaching an indefinite audience.
Elena (KOLENKA) Rammi & Ekaterina Sisfontes
Recreating a piece of kitchen comfort, the artists seem to say:
“We invite you to visit our house.
Sit down on the seat more comfortably.
Lean on the sill.
Believe me, there’s nowhere to hurry.
Today is a day off.
The day when you can look down on the city through the wide-open window shutters.
We are sure, even if our view from the window is not familiar to you, acknowledge, that at times you may also see in the sky something as impossible as we always do.”
Elena Rammy’s Website: http://lenarammi.com/
The project consists of paintings and a series of monumental sculptures. It is a fantastic story about how, after returning from space, Gagarin acquires the ability to fly without the aid of an aircraft.
First, in the world, the Soviet astronaut becomes Superman and helps people who are in a desperate situations. He saves polar explorers on the drifting ice floe, takes the girl Nina – a Caucasian captive from the house on the rock, ignites the Kremlin star, etc. His loyal assistants – the flying dogs Belka and Strelka…
Overcoming space and time, the body of Gagarin has transformed into suprematist forms.
Jury Gagarin – is a hero of the world. His feat belongs to all humanity. A fantastic story without depriving Gagarin’s fame brings him closer to the people.
Installation – DUMPLING IN THE CLOUDS – this is the image of a dreamy dumpling. We are all artists, dreamers, and romantics. At least those who gathered at this heavenly exhibition. And I’m no exception.
The dumpling also felt like a sublime being, and lives in dreams, hovers in higher spheres, hovers in the clouds. At the same time, Dumpling does not notice that for people he is just a dumpling – some cause appetite, and soon will be eaten.
The title of the work sounds like a dish from the menu – like “herring under a fur coat” or “mushrooms in sour cream”.
“The fall of Zelong” – is a story about the
Empire, which was under the leadership of a despotic ruler Krang, conquered many planets in our galaxy, while he has not joined in the fight with the earthman Rob Drop and his faithful assistant Martian Lokita Taky.
The story itself is, of course, trash with borrowings from various Soviet and foreign fiction, which the author wrote at the age of 13, therefore, in his work, he presents the main characters of this story in the form of busts and their descriptions.
For the author, longing for the sky is a longing for childhood, when the sky was bluer, the trees are greener, and you could do stupid things.
Proof that the wadded idea is able to move the technical progress forward is a wadded rocket ready to go into space.
The rocket was first shown at the exhibition “Wreaths of the Apocalypse” in the gallery on 11.12 at Vinzavod.
It is in the collection of Alexander Sharov and was kindly provided to participate in the project of YEARNING FOR THE SKY
Such video images projected onto the objects-the projected images on the surface of the forms- deconstruct the barrier between reality and fiction. At the same time, it shakes the firm belief and preconception about the reality of the objects and images.
The objects only look similar to the original objects; there is no similarity between those two other than the appearance. On the other hand, the video images also only look similar to the original objects, but there lacks a sense of physicality, which makes a real object become
a real object. Like this, the relationship that the objects and video images have with the original objects is one of absence and deficiency (since they only mimic a part of the original objects.)
Therefore, they have a standpoint of substituting and supplementing the real objects.
On top of that, the artist’s work tries to induce the audience to experience such circumstances
as reality; such a creation of circumstances that transcend sensuous reality is the core theory of the artist’s work. As a result, the artist’s work seems sophisticated for its digital appearance, but in its process, it is still analog; in this sense, the artist’s work brings a response from the audience with the impression of sophistication.
This work continues the series of ceiling works. The whole series refers to the architectural practice of the painted ceiling, which began during the Renaissance and continued for this
moment.
At different times the celestial painting was placed in the dome or arch, covered, framed, and forced to attract views, and lift up the head. They were filled with different contents, but always remained one thing – aspiration to the future, dream, hope for universal unity.
The author tried to imagine how could look like the ceiling painted today –
”Acquainted with antiquity and the Renaissance, seen and Modernism and
Postmodernism had a drop too many three-dimensional graphics and network equality, my painting destroys dreams.
Clouds aren’t ephemeral, as before, and consist of LEGO, canvas still leaves hope but is covered with opaque plastic paint – acrylic.
The composition of the heavens is calculated in the three-dimensional program and is non-random.
The search for a new general by technologic led to frustration and loneliness, we again look at the ceiling, but we see the semblance of the sticker in the telegram.
“And at home, hay is in the meadows
and the pope smokes, leaning his elbows on the gate … “Sasha Sokolov
First, there was the sky.
It came into our houses, clapped open windows, dust drifted, and pain blew. We changed tables, balconies, apartments, and country.
They stood in the evenings on the bridges, they caught the passing day, forgot the present looked, the past.
Reality moved with the speed of the clouds …
When, in the Sheksna of the Vologda region, the belfry of the Zapogist church collapsed, known throughout the country as a “bell of happiness” from the film “I Want Also,” by Alexei Balabanov, the locals saw this as a mystical omen – the collapse happened 40 days after the death of the director.
The object presented to the viewer at the exhibition is a barge structure carrying the belfry frame to an unknown heavenly port. The floating dry cargo ship with the collapsed bell tower from Sheksna is still looking for its port of origin.
The idea of historical time, narrative, and flow of consciousness is replaced by a modernist grid.
The road to space for mankind is paved by dogs. Everybody heard about Laika, Squirrel, and Strelka. In fact, before men, 48 dogs have visited “there”, and two more –
after. 20 of them were lost.
This installation is dedicated to this tragic page of space exploration. The installation consists of three objects made on the basis of analysis of aspects between celestial bodies at the time of the launch of the ships:
THE VOYAGE OF LAIKA
THE VOYAGE OF MISHKA & CHIGIK
PCHELKA & MUSHKA
The sky is outer and the sky is internal. Walk in the outer sky, you can buy a ticket to the plane and go, for example, to Stockholm or Beijing. Walking in the sky is more difficult inside. The inner sky is changeable and not three-dimensional.
One of the easiest solutions to the possibility of a walk in the Inner Sky, I propose to consider the example of the installation “Untitled” invented specifically for the project “Longing for the sky.” I do not have the right to comment on this work since this activity as a rule “cuts through” the meaning and interpretation of the author to become the main one.
And I would like the viewer to “read” my work independently and make his own judgment about “what the author wanted to say.”
For the same reason, I left this job without a name. Thank you, considerate man, for co-creation!
Sergey Katran
Artist’s Website: http://www.katranland.com/
Russian tennis is famous all around the globe. Men from many countries love to watch Russian female tennis players.
This work should illustrate the dreams of
millions.
Artist’s Website: http://bulnygin.com/
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