Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition by Igor Vasilyev – a welcoming space of childlike joy in which cartoonish characters greet you with beaming smiles
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A chance to pet an armadillo, hug a rooster, and take a selfie with a lovable Swine – feel free to touch the exhibits!
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Not just amusing creatures, but symbolic portraits that might even resemble someone you know
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An opportunity to picture yourself in an animated film and discover an affinity with its characters
Igor Vasilyev admits that the sole mission of his creations is to amuse and entertain people through the experience of nature harnessed by art. For more than a decade, his sculptures have been bringing joy to children and adults alike in amusement parks and recreation centres across the northern outskirts of St. Petersburg. A couple years ago the artist also turned to painting, creating enamel-on-cardboard versions of his characters and re-introducing them in their natural habitat, be it the vast expanses of savannah or birch groves.
Vasilyev tags his signature style as ‘Romantic Animated Symbolism.’ Not to be mistaken with the Moscow Romantic Conceptualism, even though the two share one common trait: interpenetrating realities. As in all Romanticist styles, the artist’s arbitrary creative will deliberately mixes the real and the imaginary. The result is evident right in the exhibition space where the viewer can hug an elegant cobra or scratch the ears of an armadillo who trustingly turns his little snout toward us. The huge plastic sculptures are tactile and seemingly beg for contact.
Every character here has a distinct personality. As far as Symbolism is concerned, these are obviously certain types. To a great extent, the animals portray our contemporaries. This motley crew features a cunning crocodile walking along the Nile and smoking a pipe, a happily grinning Swine, and a prematurely wise little Owlet.
Particularly worth mentioning is the fact that all of Vasilyev’s protagonists, even though they appear like cartoon characters, are original and not in the least resemble any actual inhabitants of the widescreen 3D world. Igor Vasilyev’s universe, despite the abundance of exotic dwellers, feels cosy and endearing. The artist consciously steers clear of quoting popular imagery, making a point of animating (i. e. breathing life into) his own characters.
Overall, Igor Vasilyev’s exhibition is something of an immersive animated film space in which every viewer is free to watch and marvel, interact with the sculptures, and perhaps even discover their own affinity with animated characters. After all, the very word ‘animation’ comes from the Latin anima, meaning ‘soul.’
