Russiantearoom has initiated and conceived the Russian presence during the 2017 edition of REVLEATIONS fine craft fair at Grand Palais, in collaboration with CONSUMER CULTURE / URBAN ART NATIONS. With the works of 6 ARTISTS of diverse horizons : Olga Soldatova (mosaic), Denis Milovanov (wood), Maria Koshenkova (glass), Asiya Bareeva (fashion), Maria Kolosovskaya (terra cotta), Dimitry Shabalin (masks)
‘’ What do we know about Russia?
A moment of reflection, and all the clichés invade our mind.
Russia is a very complex,paradoxical country. It embraces the vast territory, extended between Europe and Asia, it is under the influence and impacts which are often contradictory, it is the mix of nationalities, religions, traditions, characters and climatic zones. Heat and frost, hospitality and hostility, force and weakness. It’s a country where patience is both a virtue and a problem. Where the person is tiny and great at the same time. Where the concept of “impossible” doesn’t apply. Where the notion of soul is an essential element of the complete existence.
What does Russia know about itself? Everything and nothing, obviously. Plunging into the contemporary creativity in all its forms is an effort to give a fractal and non-exhaustive response to this question. And if we take into account that the way of living in Russia is one of “the life under the permanent pressure”, it’s no wonder that the energy of force, resistance, sometimes silent, nourishes the artists and reflects in their works.
The mosaic of pearls by Olga Soldatova, inspired by mosaics of the Moscow underground, splendid examples of the Soviet era of 1930-s. It was then that the mythology of the beautiful, powerful, invincible man, who is capable of flying over the planet, became the religion of the state. Currently, Russia again is in drastic need of the model hero, and the characters of Olga Soldatova embrace in their movement the walls and ceilings all over the world.
Warrior hero-knight, the mythic character from much more ancient fairy tales, seems to have inspired and helped Denis Milovanov to create his unique examples of furniture. After his long pilgrimages in the Russian villages, he has brought to life the ancient technology of wood treatment long-forgotten. Always with the help of the said hero-knight, Denis Milovanov handles the enormous blocks of wood and gives birth to poetic furniture — unique, ardent like a fireplace and magic like sacred objects.
The modernised traditions inspire Maria Kolosovskaya, with her pottery resembling stones; this clay was presoaked in milk before being burned, in the old-fashioned way; and also the rainbow masks of Dmitry Shabalin, who took after the shamanic traditions of his region and was moved by the desire not to lose anything from the traces of his childhood; but also the work of the fashion designer Asiya Bareeva, who masterly mixes the cultures of Russian, muslim and Asian costume like a puzzle.
The subtle, modern and powerful work of glass by Maria Koshenkova, who loves to free the material while also guiding it. This material breaks its banks, explodes, flows beyond the frame, attracts us and takes us far away, like the Russian troika of Gogol, it moves our spirit and soul’’. (text by Liza Fetissova)
