Interview: Lara Lehmann. Published on 19. SEP 2024.
Hello Slava, thank you for taking the time to talk to me in advance. I really appreciate you taking the trouble to give me an insight into your work and your creative process. I look forward to learning more about what inspires you and how you approach your work. Let’s start with the first question.
— Do you know Gelsenkirchen? Why did you say yes to GOLDSTÜCKE 2024?
I have passed through Gelsenkirchen many times, as I frequently visit NRW each year, enjoying and participating in the region’s cultural scene and media art, layered over the industrial history of the Ruhr region. I haven’t visited the city itself yet, so the opportunity to join GOLDSTÜCKE sparked my interest — not only to see and become a part of the constellation of artists, meet and exchange ideas, but also to explore how everything is interconnected with the local cultural fabric and its unique context.
— How would you describe your artistic practice?
My journey as an art practitioner involves capturing the infinite complexity of the world through the interplay of dichotomies, such as the human and non-human nature of data flow, and their convergence or collapse. My process seeks to balance chaos and order, simplicity and complexity, the analytical and speculative.
I work across various media, experimenting with data interpretation and embodiment through sonic and visual forms, addressing themes like the fluidity of memory, the interaction between analogue and digital, and the perception of light and visual imagery.
In the cluttered information landscape of the modern world, I aim to pinpoint a moment of understanding, naming, or calculation — whether dealing with social data, politics, or media-until I use my method of stepping back to shift perspective. This approach allows my work to evolve cyclically, providing a continually renewed spiral of reflection.
— What core idea inspired you to create your current work and what message do you want to convey with it?
The core idea behind my current work revolves around the exploration of memory, time, light, and norms. These elements intersect to form a narrative about how we perceive what is permanent versus what is transient. In particular, the use of UV light acts as both a preserver and distorter, symbolizing the inevitable wear and ageing process that affects not only physical objects but also our understanding of societal norms and laws over time.
By employing materials reversibly reacting to UV exposure, I want to create a visual metaphor for impermanence. The medium transforms under light, temporarily capturing form before it fades, much like how memory and norms shift under the weight of time and external pressures. This interaction emphasizes the fragility of what we consider fixed.
The surfaces I work with evoke monumentality, drawing analogies to structures and systems that seem eternal and unchanging, such as laws carved in stone. However, these surfaces, like norms, are not as permanent as they appear. They are subject to constant change, reflecting the historical processes that shape and reshape our collective understanding of justice, ethics, and order.
— How do you see the role of art in today’s society?
Art plays a crucial role as a medium for exploring complex and often unresolved socio-political issues. Unlike traditional methods of communication, art allows for the use of forms that evoke both intellectual and emotional responses, engaging people on a deeper, more personal level. It facilitates a freer, more open dialogue, unbound by the constraints of conventional information channels, enabling conversations that are otherwise difficult or uncomfortable to have.
Art dares to confront controversial, painful, and contradictory realities, creating spaces for reflection and discussion. It operates as a flexible driver of change, often anticipating shifts in social norms and institutional policies. In this way, art doesn’t merely reflect the world but actively participates in shaping it, moving ahead of legislation and societal structures to challenge and expand the limits of discourse.
— What are the central aspects of contemporary art for you and how do you incorporate them into your works?
For me, the central aspects of contemporary art are its embrace of experimentation, innovation, and its willingness to challenge conventions. Contemporary art provides the freedom to blur boundaries between established norms and emerging ideas, allowing for fluid, dynamic processes that reflect the complexities of our time. This flexibility is essential in addressing evolving social, political, and ethical questions, where rigid structures often fall short.
— Do you have a favourite artwork from this year’s GOLDSTÜCKE program?
I wouldn’t share my favourite work from the GOLDSTÜCKE program just yet, as I prefer to experience all pieces from the main program in person and be impressed before building expectations. That said, I wouldn’t overlook the video works from DIPLOPIA and the contributions of my colleagues in the Young Masters exhibition. Each of these works holds its potential, and I’m excited to engage with them fully during the festival.