Snow covers the earth, trees, benches, monuments, cars and everything that is under the open sky, changing their usual form and outlines. Nature acts as an artist, under whose power "works" with a layer of covered snow grow, deform and smooth.
Kaluga artist Vladimir Marin in his new project "Drifts" presents us with the results of this winter's "creative process." His works are inspired by modified snow objects, walls of houses, windows and parts of roads that occur every day in our lives. Winter is the main shaper, transforming and destroying, covering and "depersonalizing" objects with white snow. It is no coincidence that the artist chose this color, allowing us to discard all unnecessary and focus only on the shape and volume of a particular work.
White has always been a very complex, therefore attractive and interesting color for artists. Kazimir Malevich was one of the first to raise the question of "purity of creative life", expressed in white. Later, Giorgio Morandi and Vladimir Weisberg continued to study the theme of white in the painting. Vladimir Marin also takes it as a "reference point", bringing his objects to almost a factory quality. But unlike his predecessors, he does not use the pictorial language, but refers to the three-dimensional installations so typical for him. Thus, he even more "democratizes" the concept of "purity of high art". That is why the enamel type was chosen as one of the most popular and accessible, so that the viewer’s glance as little as possible alightes on the texture and material, and more focuses to the ideological and aesthetic components.
Chunks of asphalt, on which was engraved hundreds of sparrows’ little legs, or glass with square cells, frosted from the cold, appear in the form of delicate and intricate lace. Animal and people tracks, car tires and water corrode the layer of snow, leaving intricate designs on the surface. Vladimir Marin snatches out these small miniatures, not remarkable for hurrying people, and focuses on them, forcing to stop and take a fresh look at these habitual phenomena. Seeing the beauty and uniqueness in the simplest things is the main task of the artist.
Vladimir Marin began to experiment with enamel and household items in his last project "Compelling Evidence", taking as basis the standard color of building paint shades. In the new series of "Drifts" he's throwing everything superfluous, dwelling only on pure white color. Thus, objects filled with brilliant building enamel lose individuality, break away from reality and immerse the audience in the perfect world of ideal things.
Open Studios
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