Ukraine
Statement
Alexendra Slava’s main interest lies in using the figure as a vehicle for exploring, discovering, and ultimately conveying the different aspects of human condition. All of her work emerges from a place of constant introspection. However, her eyes often grow restless, and she directs them outward looking for the visual embodiment of all that comes from within.
Slava has always enjoyed the physical act of sculpture-making. As a sculptor, she is not limited by the boundaries of a frame. It is her unique challenge and opportunity to fill and transform space, constructing a bridge between the world of ideas and reality. Yet, no matter how clear the concept of a given work may be, its true form and meaning can only be revealed by way of deliberate and meticulous manipulation of the material. And so, she is deeply committed to the careful observation required to translate nature into a universal and transcendent artistic form.
It is believed that what is most personal is also most universal. So, in order to try and achieve an honest portrayal of our existence, Slava finds it necessary to first engage with her own private experiences. In this way, each new piece becomes another chapter in her memoir and an open display of honesty for herself and the viewer. This often-tenuous but remarkably gratifying relationship between conceptual ideas, her work, and those who respond to it, is why she devotes so much of herself to the practice of visual expression.
Profile
GlogauAIR resident from October 2019 to December 2019
GlogauAIR Project
The project that I’d like to develop during the residency at GlogauAIR is titled “The Six Faces of Love”.
However commonplace the subject may seem in modern culture, where love is mainly viewed as the feeling of romance and deep affection, I have long been interested in examining the different aspects of this holistic notion. Such line of thinking was inspired by the various types of love recognized by the ancient Greeks and expressed in six distinct words: éros, philía, agápe, storgē, pragma, and philautia. Each of these terms offers a revitalizing ground for exploring the complex nature of human interactions and challenging the modern construct of all-embracing romantic love. The lack of nuance in such an intricate matter may lead to all sorts of prejudice, frustration and the threatening perversion of what should be the highest expression of humanity. I believe art can help us better understand the full complexity of the issue, and as an artist I recognize my role of a mediator in this often clunky but crucial process.
Edward Hopper once noted: “If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint”. Further elaborating on this idea based on my own experience, I acknowledge that as an artist I always lean towards the kind of subjects that couldn’t be conveyed in any other way, rather than through visual experience. That’s why it is often so difficult for visual artists to clearly articulate the intended meaning of their creative work. For the same reason, an equally challenging task is to choose an appropriate title that would set a framework for the viewer’s perception. “The Six Faces of Love”, however, follows a reverse approach, where the titles are determined at the outset of the project. In my mind, Éros, Philía, Agápe, Storgē, Pragma, and Philautia represent exactly the type of concepts that could hardly have any exhaustive verbal explanations, but instead, they have the potential to be successfully communicated through the artistic form. So, my goal is to reflect on each of these titles, their history and implications, in order to find their expression in six interconnected artworks.
During my residency I intend to develop the designs for figure compositions and create six sculptures in clay. I will then make molds and cast them in resin applying different colors reflective of the emotional content of each work.
While I do have a specific plan, the primary objective for the duration of my stay is to keep an open mind, avoid any preconceived notions and grasp the multitude of possibilities offered by the creative environment of the GlogauAIR and the city of Berlin. The position of a resident artist would give me a priceless opportunity to engage in numerous conversations with other participants, organizers and art enthusiasts, thus enriching my vision. I’m also inspired by the excellent idea of The Showcase outside the building where I would love to arrange a temporary installation associated with the main project. Such interaction with the wider public would surely give an additional impetus to my thought process.
After all, the true significance of art lies in its ability to foster the free flow and exchange of ideas. And it is my biggest aspiration to be part of this vital process. For this reason, I would be most happy and grateful to join the community of GlogauAIR.
CV Summary
EDUCATION
- 2014 – 2017 The Florence Academy of Art, Sculpture Program, Florence, Italy
- 2010 – 2014 Taras Shevchenko State Art School, Kiev Ukraine
EXHIBITIONS
- 2019 Ostrale Biennale Exhibition for Contemporary Art, Dresden, Germany (upcoming)
- 2019 Modern and Contemporary Sculpture, Desa Unicum, Warsaw, Poland
- 2019 13th International Art Renewal Center Salon Exhibition, European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
- 2018 Alpine Fellowship Symposium, Cini Foundation, Venice, Italy
- 2018 FACE2018, Society of Portrait Sculptors Annual Exhibition, London, UK
- 2018 Forwart Magazine Launch Event and Art Exhibition, Milan, Italy
- 2017 MArteLive Biennale, Rome, Italy
- 2017 Context Art Miami, Miami, Fl, USA
- 2017 Figurativas Painting and Sculpture Competition, European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, Spain
- 2016 Le Cinque Anime della Scultura, Studio Tablinum gallery, Como, Italy
- 2016 Demonstration of the model for a marble statue of St Joseph for the interior design of St John Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA, USA
- 2015 The Florence Academy of Art open studio exhibition, Florence, Italy
AWARDS
- 2019 Rome Art Residencies, position of resident artist in May 2019, Rome, Italy
- 2018 Alpine Fellowship Visual Arts Prize, first place award
- 2018 Society of Portrait Sculptors Annual Exhibition, finalist selection
- 2018 Art Renewal Center, finalist selection
- 2018 Aesthetica Art Prize, long-list selection
- 2017 MArteLive Biennale in Rome, first place award in Sculpture
- 2016 The Art Renewal Center Scholarship, first place award for 2016/17
- 2016 The Florence Academy of Art, work-study scholarship for 2016/17
- 2015 The Art Renewal Center Scholarship, first place award for 2015/16
- 2015 The Florence Academy of Art, merit-based scholarship for 2015/16
PUBLICATIONS
- 2018 Art Renewal Center 13th International Salon Catalog
- 2018 Catalog of FACE2018, Society of Portrait Sculptors Annual Exhibition
- 2018 Future Now, 100 Contemporary Artists 2018, The Aesthetica Art Prize Anthology by Aesthetica Magazine
- 2018 Walkman Magazine, interview
- 2018 Forwart Magazine, interview
- 2018 Matador Review, winter issue
- 2017 Novelty Magazine, issue 10, art essay “The Making of a Self-Portrait”
- 2017 Art Magazine, November edition
- 2017 Catalog of Figurativas 2017 Painting and Sculpture Competition
