Depth of emptiness
What is nothingness? Maybe this is the world of social networks, the media that create the effect of full life? How to keep yourself in them? New exhibition "Anabiosis" young Moscow artist Dima Rovel will try to reveal the theme of the sleep of the mind in which a person dwells. The exposition is being prepared for release. Follow ART-Jur for details.
You will be able to see a new series of works, the so-called social art, in which the author explores modern people. They seem to be in hibernation: they live like everyone else, perhaps they are afraid to show their individuality under the influence of society, etc.
"The pictures will not have clear images, that is, there will be no faces, there will be no eyes, as I usually like to show them. The main game will be due to light, color and space, that is, I will, as it were, tear the space for due to texture, due to the transfer of color, due to the idea itself. I want people to see not so much a new me in all this, my new handwriting. I want to open more here already. sleep "- says Dima.
In previous works "Opus-4" , "Absinthe" , "Self-portrait" and others. the artist creates heroes who rebel against society. They are bright individuals with a rich inner world, but always loners opposing the crowd. In the new paintings, it will be mainly a changing space that has no boundaries or forms. Maybe it is like the intelligent Ocean from the science fiction novel Solaris (1960) by the Polish writer Stanislav Lem? The ocean, a substance that lives its own mysterious life, but affects people. The artist's space seems to exist and does not exist at the same time. It seems abstract , but at the same time not expressive outwardly. Emotions are concentrated, there is nothing superfluous. One feels pacification, calmness and some kind of understatement.
One of the first works "Nothingness" was made in dark and white colors. The picture looks like something cosmic. Maybe this is the unknown world of our soul? Holes prevail everywhere. What it is? It may be some gaps in us, a desert that we want to fill with something. It is as if we are looking for the meaning of life in the modern world, where ideals are erased, and it seems that there is neither good nor bad. Probably, there are no more heroes and there is nothing to strive for? The canvas of the painting can be perceived as a system in which we, rather, do not live, but exist: social networks, selfies, trends. It is as if we are building our lifestyle according to standards: we should or should not, our style according to stereotypes of beauty.
The society seems to be loaded into the matrix, according to Dima: it wears the same fashionable clothes, starts Instagram, "likes" photos, etc., creating the illusion of full life. Everything seems strange, sometimes ridiculous, because it defies any description.
The author is close to the ideas of absurdism (philosophy of the twentieth century): human existence has no meaning and he seems to be spinning in the chaos of wars, catastrophes, his thoughts are irrational, he loses faith in something. Therefore, Dima's paintings are gloomy and, at first glance, incomprehensible. Having looked at them, you cannot help but ask yourself: "What is this?" You need to look at the works, delve into them, in order, perhaps, to come to some kind of understanding of yourself.
It seems that in the rhythm of modernity and its changing trends, people are losing their values. The abundance of information on the Internet, numerous products in stores seem to deprive us of the right to choose. We feed on the dramatic news that the media is showing. Every day negative events (catastrophes, terrorist attacks) form in us an image of a terrible reality in which people are vulnerable. On the one hand, we are afraid, on the other hand, we get used to what is happening around us, and nothing can shock us. We become indifferent and so we enter the suspended animation system. How to get out of it? Strive to preserve yourself and show your individuality with the help of, for example, creativity, hobbies, favorite work, real communication, etc. They just help to break the patterns of society, which are symbolized by holes.
The author is inspired by bushido, Japanese philosophy of the XVI-XVII centuries (code of samurai ethics - author's note) . It is based on value every day, because it may be the last. We need to forget about the hustle and bustle and problems. This is the only way to achieve harmony with oneself. The artist creates detached works that are far from everything worldly, are somewhere in themselves, like the author himself. He enjoys solitude, entering into a subtle dialogue with his soul through creativity. For him, emptiness is inspiration, a desire to share his emotions in unusual forms.
In the paintings you can feel both the cold breath of death and the warm wind of life. Death is emptiness and indifference inside you, but it is also life at the same time, because it helps to create, to develop. They do not fight with each other, but seem to be in harmonious interaction, like yin and yang. One is a continuation of the other.
“I look very simply at the topic of death, to be frank. Everyone is afraid of death, no one wants, for example, to die alone. In general, the whole world is built on a system of fear, and this is also the idea of suspended animation: people are scared, they are scared almost from birth , ie if you don’t have something, then you will be left alone forever, so buy, buy, buy ... And a person lives by these values, gets hooked on them ... "- says the artist.
Looking at his work, we look into the mirror of our soul. She is free and independent. In this mirror, you can see emptiness, which every day is filled with rich thoughts, emotions, feelings. And only in them do we truly live, and only in this way can we be ourselves.
Text and photo: Natalia Pushchinskaya
In the photo above: a fragment of the painting "Nothingness"
In the photo below: artist Dima Rovel