Symbol of Illusion. Ivanovs new works. Open May 8
Ritums Ivanovs exhibition SYMBOL OF ILLUSION opens May 8 at 6PM Gallery Bastejs, Alksnaja street 7, Riga
Art is fascinated by death. Death is fascinated by art. Of all the contemporary symbols used in society, skull is a new one. In the still lives of 17th c. Netherlands, it was used as symbol of death - Vanitas. Nowadays, art is fascinated by death, many artists have concepts on skulls. My interest came from observing portraiture figures in art, this is my personal realization of symbolic meaning of the skull as an illusory meaning of life and death in one, where death means everything, in a way death is life. It is a wide symbol, but nowadays symbols get used in vague concepts (and get oversimplified everywhere by neglecting its real meaning). Strong symbolism becomes loose. I would like ot connect the ideas of symbol and illusion, hence my concept, "Symbol of Illusion".
My series shows a conclusion on what I think life is. The images are obvious, but the meaning is my personal one. I would like to put these together. In society, we encounter strong images of facts, of a skull, which is not always a symbol. A SKULL is not a symbol. It is an ILLUSION of a symbol. The juxtaposition between images starts forming a non-linear story, this can be compared to a surrealist film where images are separated from their own meaning, they don't make a story on their own. The story can be revealed by a nuance, the concept of one angle.
Life is illusion
Death is illusion
Symbols are illusions
Images are symbols
Face/portrait is image of life
Skull is the structure of portrait
Skull is the image of life
Skull is the image of death
Death symbolizes the end
And gives meaning to life.
From May 9th, Gallery Bastejs is hosting a new Ritums Ivanovs exhibition, SYMBOL of ILLUSION. This exhibition is a warm-up before the art fair VOLTA 9 SHOW BASEL, Switzerland (May 10-15 2013) where it will be exhibited next. Art fair Volta was established in Basel in 2005 and is exhibiting new emerging artists. VOLTA 9 BASEL is one of the ART BASEL's satellite art fairs that together with LISTE 18, SCOPE BASEL, THE SOLO PROJECT and DESIGN MIAMI/BASEL is making an unique international exhibition focusing on galleries as art markets' main institution. VOLTA is positioning itself as an art fair that highlights the new gems of the art world for collectors, curators and art lovers. All the artists participating in Volta are being selected by the members of the board as well as independent judges. Up to now gallery Bastejs has represented Ritums Ivanovs in the SCOPE BASEL 2009 and SCOPE MIAMI 2009.
Exhibition open May 9 until June 1 at Gallery Bastejs, Alksnaja street 7, Rīga
