"Rehearsal" / action

After the exhibition "December", our Dnepropetrovsk group was divided into two. I began to work in tandem with A. Varvarov, and V. Padun, E. Potapenkov and L. Razdobudko-Padun formed the Cold VEL group. This fact stimulated the sublimation of creative activity. Our workshops were located over the fence (Olegovskaya St. between 37 and 39 houses), and we tried to prove to each other who was cooler. Our first exhibition with Anatoly began with a kitchen conversation between Natasha Varvarova and her friend. Once they looked at the book “Pushkin Museum” and accidentally turned the illustration of a Dutch still life upside down. And since they were dancers, they saw a dancing bird, a hare and something else on the reproductions. Natasha told Tolik, and he told me. Then we listened to the folk group Dead Can Dance ("The Dead Can Dance"), and at that time, due to the lack of visual information, the music acted as a kind of source of inspiration. So the idea of ​​a coup of the genre arose - from still life (dead nature) to naturdens (dancing nature). We turned the still life upside down and turned it into a negative color, as if revealing the reverse side of a dead nature. The metaphysical space of inverted paintings was supposed to merge with the real space where the ballerina rehearsed (Natasha Varvarova).

We then experimented and invented everything to the smallest detail. For example, in order to avoid the author’s brushstroke, a special swab was invented (a ribbon of coarse fabric with a fringe twisted into a roll), which left a lot of dots when applying the paint layer.

I wanted to achieve the effect of a picturesque manuscript of teamwork. The color solution was achieved as follows: when printing, a positive film was transferred to a negative photo card and used as a sketch for the work.

The state of society in 1994 reminded us of the dead world: empty shelves, lack of earnings and the ignorance of the future. We, the young, wanted revitalization, even if around us, and we acted. The “Rehearsal” project was an experimental trial for incorporation into a foreign production location. For the exhibition, we chose the rehearsal room of the Theater Institute. Karpenko-Kary. There was a second variant of the name of the action - “cultural interference”, as they would say now - “cultural intervention”.

I remember the reaction of the audience: everyone was in some shock from what was happening, since no one could say for sure whether it was a rehearsal or an exhibition-action. The project lasted only a few hours. Since visitors started smoking and drinking alcohol right in the hall, we were asked to leave the room.

To be continued ... >>>

Konovalov I