Igor Mikhailenko
Cartography of Dreams

The painting practice of the charismatic Krasnodar-based artist Igor Mikhailenko, although stylistically diverse, mostly gravitates towards Pop Art. Always working in series that take several years to complete, the painter then moves on to a new subject and new visual language. The series featured in this exhibition alludes to the Surrealist tradition and explores the movement’s recurring motif of dreams. The show’s title is an oxymoron, a deliberate juxtaposition of the scientifically based practice of cartography and the realm of dreaming in which nothing is precise or accurate. Thus the artist’s visuals and subject matter exist somewhere on the brink between geometry and phantasmagoria.

In some of the paintings, we see exaggerated foreshortening – known as forced perspective – accentuated by rectangles converging in the middle in a manner resembling a theatrical stage. Similar effects are usually used by set designers to enhance the illusion of depth. On this ‘stage’ the artist places his actors – an ox, tigers or rabbits, amid the theatrical scenery of trees or flowers. In other artworks, the scene unfolds inside the projection of a hexagonal prism. This encapsulates the artist’s signature skill of blending realistic and abstract imagery.

Instead of using sketches or computer drafts, Igor Mikhailenko assembles the images he likes into collages that later provide inspiration for his canvases. Working in layers, he employs the techniques of stencilling and acrylic pour painting, the latter producing controllable yet unexpected flowing patterns. Ultimately, the Cartography of Dreams is a truly surrealistic project: here, lifelike depictions of animals and humans are inevitably perceived as fantastical, while Euclidean geometry verges on the chaos of paint spills.

Another trademark device in the artist’s toolkit is the absence of narrative in his visually charged pieces. This is done deliberately, leaving space for interpretations: after all, art emerges as the result of the collaborative creative effort of the artist and the viewer.