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Contemporary approaches to still-life. Collect/make/arrange

I was surprised at this task. My "table", although in my case it looks more like an altar, I made about three months ago. I made it for myself in order to understand what is important to me, what inspires me.




It is a small pedestal with various objects and a wall with photographs of things, events or artwork.



On a small table, I placed my first smartphone, a matryoshka, an icon of Matrona of Moscow, a dried rose, a rope, a piece of wood with a nail, Chinese coins, my sculptural sketch, a gold ring, a shell, nail polish, a piece of fur and a turquoise pigment. I will discuss each of these items below.




1. The smartphone is the most ingenious invention after the car. The story behind Apple's first phone is already worthy of respect. Steve Jobs pushed the development of the portable telephone and saw the future of human communication. Also, the smartphone has changed our lives, our movements, habits. In my opinion, this device symbolizes the beginning of the XXI century in the best possible way.


2. Matryoshka is a traditional Russian toy made of wood. The doll opens in the middle, and there is another doll inside, and so on. For me, this subject connected the game and the meaning of life. One woman gives life to another woman, and so on. Philosophers of all continents are trying to understand the sense of life, and here is a toy. There was one woman, she is gone but, another life appeared and another, one, and another, that's the point.


3. Icon. It seems to me that only Russians believe in miracles as much as any other nation. And this is my culture. Yes, I do, belief too. Why? Because, for example, Saint Matrona was our contemporary. She was born in 1881 (83) and died in 1952 in Moscow. And everything is so simple that it's hard not to believe. People came to her, and she healed them. Holy Matrona predicted that after her death, she would continue to help people. The one who asks must come to the place of her relics as if she were alive. And she helps till now.


4. The dried flower is a rose from the burial place of Matrona. It is believed that these flowers are endowed with positive energy and should be used for their intended purpose.


5. A piece of coarse Fiber rope, and wood with a nail, become the personification of something natural. At the same time, I like the roughness of these materials, methods of interaction with them. The nail needs to be driven in, the wood needs to be sawed, and the rope ties. These movements are endowed with some kind of primitiveness and simplicity.


The sell, a gold ring and nail polish resist such tough and brutal materials.


6. The shell is a symbol of the golden ratio for me. This creation of nature in a small form is the quintessence of beauty. I painted it gold to give it meaning, to elevate it. And at the same time, Gold is the colour of my culture.


7. Chanel Nail Polish No 483 Vendetta. Firstly, this is the type of paint that every woman (sometimes a man) has probably used at least once in their life. This little jar is a sign of beauty and something sophisticated. This paint is a sign of fashion, style, season. The small bottle, but what a great meaning. Also, it is the power of the brand, which people agreed to accept as premium and luxury goods. But in the end, it is just the same materials as everywhere. Secondly, the story of the creation of this colour turned out to be an accident. And the power of the accident in the creation process I put very high. At one of the shows, it was necessary quickly to replace the burgundy nail polish of the models with something dark. And Karl Lagerfeld said to overpaint it with a black marker on top of the red one. Madonna, who was present at the show, became interested in this colour and asked for the same. So, just like that dark shiny violet nail polish colour appeared.


8. The gold ring was created by my dad from his gold chain. The result is two identical rings for me and my sister. We agreed that when one of us dies, the other will wear both rings as one. For me, this object is important because it is a kind of energy and conditions with which we have endowed this object.


9. Ancient Chinese coins have become the personification of Chinese culture and astrology. This coin with a square hole was created for practical purposes. So it was easier to carry them with a bundle. And at the same time, this coin is considered a combination of a circle and a square - two principles to the Chinese metaphysics, metal and earth. These two elements are vital to me. For health reasons, I always need to take iron tablets and spend more time in nature so to speak, be closer to the earth.


10. A piece of sheepskin is tactility, softness. It is the embodiment of pleasant sensations.


11. Turquoise colour is endowed for me with a certain sophistication, peculiarity and something special. The loose form of pigment indicates the instability of the colour state.


12. My sculptural sketch came out by accident. I had some of the plaster left and needed to be quickly applied somewhere. In a hurry, I just combined what was at hand. This is the first time I used paper as a material for sculpture. These lines and material movements are lively and intriguing.


In general, it turned out to be some kind of spiritual-metaphysical place with a vivid manifestation through bold materials.




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