Dmitry Zhukov

Public art is a wide-ranging topic: we have installations, any action in a public space, and so much more. However, I deal with sculptures, so I personally see public art as being about objects. Interactions between the object, the environment, and the viewer are a fine contemporary trend. Classic sculptures marked significant events, celebrated statespeople, writers. So, it was all about monuments that had to be included in an architectural landscape. Today the object in question is primarily directed at interacting with people.

Among the more impressive public artworks one should note the pieces by Anish Kapoor, most notably his work with modelling clay. I am astonished by his pieces. The Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira intertwines trees and houses – a mesmerizing sight. Fernando Botero Angulo and his depictions of corpulent forms is another great favourite of mine.

Naturally, modernism itself is long dead. Andy Warhol stated that a painting that took the artist more than five minutes to create is a rotten piece of work. However, nowadays, at the present juncture, I do think that it’s almost an act of protest: to create a piece of art by hand and to spend as much time on it as necessary. I find this approach very important because it reveals much about the qualities that the artist possesses. As for the public art piece itself, several key qualities come to mind. The emotional impact on the environment notwithstanding, it must be resistant to outside forces, though I don’t necessarily agree that it should be resistant to vandalism. Quite the opposite! It’s a perfectly fine provocation. Someone, following the example set by Herostratus, leaves a mark on the artwork. Isn’t that interesting? But most of all public can and probably must reduce the emotional distance between the artist and the viewer. We are surrounded by a boundless sea of information: messengers, ads, news feeds, phone calls... It’s all too densely packed, and there is a distinct lack of breathing space. The emotional message of the artwork allows each person to leave that sea behind and to just lay back for a moment. Think about all the times you are driving your car but don’t have a clue where you are. Or, to put it another way, a wake-up trip for somebody (laughs).

From the very start of my artistic career. I enrolled in the State Academy of Art and Design (i.e. the Mukhina School) all too late, at 28, graduating at 35. After graduating I could no longer participate in young artist competitions and grants, since the age limit is exactly 35. I decided no to waste my time and energy and began working with sculpture. And my life right now is all about sculptures, both literally and figuratively.

Basically, all there is to say is stated in the accompanying text. However, there is a story behind the work. I saw mazes without trees in Spain during the autumn and was surprised to realize that after trimming plants gain life force. All gardens are different: English gardens are less formal, French gardeners always trim everything into specific forms. We try to make our life as straightforward as possible and we take great pains to even everything out. However, something always manages to break through with an ever-growing force. Violence uncovers the beauty of life. Hence the title French de Sad. An English garden is too wild, while French gardens are zealously trimmed, allowing for more life force to burst through.

Honesty to one’s self, the strength of character, openness to the world, I’d say. Should professionalism be given priority? I don’t know. But openness to the world is crucial. Today all is changing, so many interesting and good things, discoveries are happening all the time. One cannot remain rooted in the same spot for too long.

I know the answer to this question for certain: death and sex. Humanity exists between Eros and Thanatos. These two themes and their numerous variations occupy our minds. Everything that we do is proof of this. We enter this world and exit from it alone. Though at the same time, we constantly interact with other living beings in the process.

I think that the most precious feedback is an honest reaction. Some of my sculptures are presented out in the open in urban environments, and I overheard the reactions of people. I find spontaneous reactions to be especially valuable. Even a simple “Wow, what’s that?” is already a good reaction! My experience in watching how sculptures exist in public spaces tells me that people name all sculptures in their own words. A sort of mythology arises around each work. Even more important to me is the ability to engage with viewers, to halt them for just a few seconds in the act of contemplating the object. That is the greatest victory for me. Something along those lines. PR and all the rest of it – that’s not feedback.

I dreamt of a museum on the Moon once. Or, rather, I wouldn’t mind the opportunity to work on the Moon. That way my piece will be more visible. As for Earth… I haven’t the slightest idea. I’m currently preoccupied with a new project, so I don’t have any space in my head to think about something else. The project in question is the result of my collaboration with a large progressive IT company. It will be located in the new City district, near Begovaya Metro Station in Saint Petersburg. My clients are certain that humanity is the most important thing of all, they recognize the importance of contemporary art and its impact on the surrounding environment. One can do many things with such an approach to art.