Independent art association PARZIT in exchange

Curator – Ekaterina Sisfontes
Coordinator: Alena Tereshko
Producer: Vera Svetlova
Affish: Gerasim Kuznetsov

The communication project was originally intended to look completely different. Initially, the project was affected by the restrictions during the corona pandemic. In February 2022, the conditions for the project changed fundamentally and the project became even more urgent to implement.

13 artists from Studio44, Stockholm, Sweden, in collaboration with 27 artists from the independent art association PARAZIT, St. Petersburg, Russia, present two exhibitions to the public. The exhibitions are based on a change of gallery spaces – Borey Gallery in St. Petersburg and Studio44 Gallery in Stockholm. Two independent associations of artists, closely associated with these galleries, united in the creation of art according to an original artistic practice imposed by the circumstances: realized by art according to the description.

Most of these artists have never met, and several do not have a common language to communicate in either. After choosing the project’s curator, creative triplets or pairs were created, who worked independently to realize each other’s work. When the description of the work has reached the receiving artist, he decides how the work should be designed and discusses possible solutions with his collaboration partner. The process varies from group to group and the result surprises both participating artists and the audience. When travel became impossible, these Blind Dates provided an opportunity to realize ideas remotely, with the help of one or more artist colleagues. The artist is forced to entrust the implementation of his idea to one or more unknown persons. The result will be unpredictable for all project participants.

In the first phase of the communication project at Borey Gallery (5 – 27 August 2022) COMMUNICATION 1.0  artists from the association Parazit created works based on ideas from Studio44’s artists.

On September 6, 2022, a return exhibition opens at gallery Studio44 where participating artists from Studio44, under the same conditions, create works based on ideas from artists in the association PARAZIT. At the opening on Friday, September 9, 2022, participating artists from the association PARAZIT will participate via Zoom.

Since the world was shaken by Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, independent Russian artists have been forced to flee the country or have been arrested and jailed on suspicion of opposing Putin’s dictatorship. Exhibitions deemed insufficiently patriotic have been forced to close.

The project Kommunikation gives a voice to independent Russian artists who neither can leave the country nor want to stop creating art on their own terms.

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