Konstantin BESSMERTNY: Journey to the East 君士坦丁《東遊記》
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Konstantin BESSMERTNY: Journey to the East
4 May – 8 June 2024 Gallery EXIT presents ‘Journey to the East’, a solo exhibition by Konstantin BESSMERTNY. The first solo exhibition of the celebrated Macau/Hong Kong-based artist of Russian origin with Gallery EXIT features a recent series of paintings, ceramics and objects in the artist’s signature playful style rich in classical and contemporary references from a melange of East and West cultures that is central to both the artist’s creation and being. In what Bessmertny calls his visual investigations, the context is often to be gleaned from the many details and symbols embedded in the fun yet enigmatic imagery. Some time before the COVID pandemic, Bessmertny began exploring the concept of the folding screen, for which he travelled to Japan, Beijing and New York, looking at collections of East Asian folding screens and researching the traditional craft, eventually creating 4 sets of folding screen paintings, and the 6-panel painting ‘Nanbanjin. Introduction of Gaming.’ is on view in this exhibition. Acrylic paints are applied on separate panels mounted with canvas, upon which is glued washi paper with gold leaf appliques. Instead of standing on the floor, the artist has the folding screens suspended, as would a painting on a wall. The work features the black ship, a colonial symbol signifying the introduction of gambling into Macau, the Las Vegas of Asia, depicted in the background. Through this painting filled with historical anecdotes, Bessmertny is trying to fill in a gap of where this history of Macau as an important trading port between East and West is often underrepresented. Over the course of his long artistic career, one recurring theme for Bessmertny is Albrecht Dürer. The show features a small study of ‘Ritter, Tod und Teufel’ the artist made in 1988, and a series of variations based on that original: The mediaeval knight is replaced by a Japanese Ronin warrior in ‘Ronin (after Albrecht Dürer)’, while in ‘The Knight, Tod, Teufel and Forcado da Cara’ the subject is set in a horizontal landscape of a Portuguese coastline, where the knight becomes the Knight Templar escaping French and Arab persecution. In ‘The Knight, Tod, Teufel und the Naked Yoga on the Beach ‘, the artist transitions to another theme: the Asian jungle, where he spent his time during COVID in a small studio. Painted during the COVID pandemic, ‘Grobianus et Grobiania (Natarajasana will Save the World)’ is an absurd reflection on the human condition during crisis, based on a book written by Friedrich Dedekind in the 16th century about the fictional Saint Grobianus, patron saint of drunkards and vulgar people, since gone into oblivion. The book contains instructions from the saint to live the good life away from sin, the many obsessions the artist finds still resonate with our current world 600 years after. Other than the visual references to Bosch and Bruegel in this work, Bessmertny draws from an even wider range of Western and Eastern visual heritage in his ‘Venus in front of the Mirror (La Venus del Espejo)’, a parody of the Velázquez painting and a postcolonial commentary on Japonisme in Western art history. Besides paintings, the exhibition also showcases works of ceramics, small sculptures and objects, again overwhelmed with the same visual elements and intellectual humour and satire. ‘Hand of the Philosopher’, ‘Philosophy Protects Seven Liberal Arts’, and ‘How to Make Gold at Home’ are made in the Chinese porcelain town of Jingdezhen and handpainted by the artist. The anti-monument sculpture ‘In Perpetum (Public Art Proposal)’ appears also in ‘Grobianus et Grobiania (Natarajasana will Save the World)’. More than just decorative forms, Bessmertny’s art offers multiple levels of reading that both challenge and amuse, where contemporary commentary mixes with artistic and historical allusions. Konstantin BESSMERTNY (b. 1964, Blagoveschensk, former USSR) is one of the most active and distinguished artists working in Asia today. In his artistic career that spans over three decades, Bessmertny paints, draws, makes sculptures and installations. Bessmertny studied fine art in the grand academies of the Soviet Union, his interest encompassing a wide range of subjects: literature, music, history and politics, as well as his diverse cultural background. His works are characterised by colourful chaos, surrealistic landscapes, contradictions and absurdities. Bessmertny has been extensively exhibited worldwide, his recent solo shows include ‘Le Grand Exil’ (Pontus Maximus Productions, Macau, 2023); ‘VOYAGE’ (Military Club, Macau, 2021, 2020, 2019); ‘INTERMISSION; INTERSECTION’; ‘Ambitus II’ (The Arts Club, London, 2018); ‘Ambitus I’ (Rossi & Rossi, London, UK, 2017) and ‘Ad Lib - Recent Works of Konstantin Bessmertny’ (Macao Museum of Art, Macau, 2016). Some group exhibitions include Macao International Art Biennale (Macao Cultural Centre, Macau, 2023); ‘Shek-O Sublime’ (Gallery EXIT, Hong Kong, 2019); ‘Crossroads · Another Dimension: the Cross-Straight Four-Regions Artistic Exchange Project’ (Hong Kong City Hall, 2014). In 2007, he represented Macau at the 52nd International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Bessmertny was awarded Bronze Medal for Painting at the International Art Exhibition by Museum of Chinese Revolution in Beijing in 2000; First Prize for Painting at the International Art Competition by the International Institute of Macau in 2001; Prize for Excellence at the Contemporary Artists Exhibition in Beijing in 2003. His works are acquired for multiple collections, including Guangdong Museum of Art, Macau Museum of Art, M+ Museum (Hong Kong), Centro Cientifico e Cultural de Macau (Lisbon), Portugal Missão de Macau (Lisbon) and many more. The artist currently lives and works in Macau and Hong Kong. |