Evgeny Antufiev. When Art Became Part of Landscape. Part II

Evgeny Antufiev. When Art Became Part of Landscape. Part II
09.11.2018 - 03.02.2019

Curator: Svetlana Marich

The Moscow Museum of Modern Art and Artwin Gallery present an exhibition by the sculptor Evgeny Antufiev When Art Became Part of Landscape at the Konenkov Studio-Museum. The project is the second part of a cycle, continuing the exhibition of Antufiev’s work, which was presented at the European Biennial of Contemporary Art (Manifesta 12) in Palermo, Italy.

When Art Became Part of Landscape is dedicated to the Russian sculptural tradition and to the connections between two eras of that tradition. Works by the young artist Evgeny Antufiev will be exhibited alongside previously unseen sculptures by the great Russian and Soviet sculptor Sergey Konenkov from the depository of the Konenkov Studio-Museum in Moscow. The project is curated by the deputy chairman of Phillips auction house, Svetlana Marich.

The idea of the cycle When Art Became Part of Landscape is to reveal non-obvious connections and coincidences with works that are usually not displayed alongside the creations of today’s young artists. The first exhibition in the cycle was held in the oldest museum in Sicily, the Antonio Salinas Archeological Museum in Palermo, where works by Antufiev were exhibited alongside productions by Greek, Phoenician and Etruscan artists and craftsmen. In the second part of the cycle, Antufiev’s art rubs shoulders with works by the outstanding 20th century sculptor, Sergey Konenkov, resonating with the traditions of Soviet monumental sculpture. The resonances are amplified by the inclusion in the exhibition of works by a number of other Soviet and Russian sculptors (Mikhail Shemyakin, Alexander Burganov, Ernst Neizvestny and Evgeny Vuchetich).

Evgeny Antufiev uses the raw materials of sculpture in an original way and has a strong interest in archaeology and ethnicity, which has been the basis of several series of works by the artist. Antufiev’s almost anthropological approach has led him to create his own mythology, arising from the shamanistic traditions of the Tuva region in southern Siberia, where he grew up. From this start point, Antufiev has recreated the cultural and visual traditions and mythological characters of various peoples from around the world.

In his works, Antufiev explores the significance for human culture of a variety of materials, including stone, bone, wood, amber, and bronze. His works have an ironic undercurrent and are situated at the junction of nature and art, legend and fact, the real and the fictional.

When Art Became Part of Landscape is supported by Andrey Cheglakov. Design Hotel StandArt is the project partner.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Evgeny Antufiev (born 1986) has had over 20 solo exhibitions of his work. In 2016 he was the sole Russian representative at the European Biennial of Contemporary Art (Manifesta-11 in Zurich and Manifesta-12 in Palermo). The artist’s works have been acquired by many private and public collections, including Tate Modern (London, UK), Collezione Maramotti (Reggio Emilia, Italy) and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium).

Sergey Konenkov (1874-1971) was a Russian and Soviet sculptor, renowned for his work with living materials, particularly wood. He was dubbed the «Russian Rodin» for the free plasticity of his creations, which kept their attraction as bold statements in the modern era.

ARTWIN GALLERY
This Moscow-based gallery was founded in June 2012 by Mariana Guber-Gogova. Artwin Gallery organizes exhibitions in museum venues, actively supports the artists on its roster, and participates in contemporary art fairs. The gallery’s main objectives are to create a platform for dialogue between artists of different countries and generations, and to promote emerging Russian art both at home and abroad. Artwin Gallery’s focus on Russian artists, its bold approach to curating and exhibition-making, and its in-depth understanding of the art market in Russia and CIS countries, allows the gallery to create extraordinary projects across a wide range of styles and genres of contemporary art. Artwin Gallery has participated in multiple international exhibitions and biennales, including the Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, Cosmoscow, The Armory Show, Art Dubai, just to name a few. The gallery also helps foster the growth of contemporary art through a series of lectures and round table discussions featuring art world professionals, as well as its contributions to other educational initiatives. Artwin Gallery currently works with artists Evgeny Antufiev, Vladimir Chernyshev, Artem Filatov, Polina Kanis, Alexey Korsi, Olya Kroytor, Almagul Menlibayeva, Gulnur Mukazhanova, RADYA, Dima Rebus, Anna Titova and Ustina Yakovleva.

ММОМА
Moscow Museum of Modern Art (ММОМА) was founded in 1999; this is the 1st state museum in Russia that specializes on art of XX and XXI century. Today the museum is located at seven platforms in Moscow, it is one of the most active participants of art life in the country. Collection of the museum represents the main stages in history of avant-garde, especially in Russia. Priority guidelines of MMOMA activity also are education in art, support of young artists, own publishing program and development of inclusive projects.

KONENEKOV STUDIO MUSEUM In 1974 a museum was founded in a house where Konenkov spent his last 24 years of life. The museum was opened to commemorate 100th Jubilee of the sculptor. The museum includes an art studio where Konenkov worked, his flat, his office, a hall and an entrance hall. The interior was designed in accordance with Konenkovs project. The original interior (furniture, sculptures) was preserved in the hall and in the entrance hall. The museum fund has a lot of materials reflecting all periods of Konenkovs work.